


The Killshot

by krazenground



Category: Attck on Titan, Shingeki no Kyojin
Genre: F/M, Protective Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-03
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-01-21 05:31:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 50
Words: 96,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21294353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krazenground/pseuds/krazenground
Summary: (Y/N) (L/N) spent years of her life working for an unknown boss in order to care for her sickly brother. Things took a turn when she realized that the contract made was not fulfilled.After trying to erase every aspect of her past life, she enlisted herself to the Survey Corps. where she meets the short tempered captain.Now that she has made bonds with everyone, her past decides to show up once more.--I do not own any of the characters to this story----events will shift from the anime and my own story--
Relationships: Levi/Reader, levi x reader
Comments: 117
Kudos: 93





	1. Prologue

\--PROLOGUE--

The sun had set by now. The moon slowly casting its light around the cemetery.

I could feel my senses taking over. My fingers ever so lightly touching the trigger.

I could hear the crunching of grasses and rocks. They were approaching, fast.

My blouse was now sticking onto my skin. Sweat beads trickling down my hair, tracing the edges of my face.

I had to move forward. The MP knew I was within target range.

My eyes darted from one tomb to another. I saw one of the flowers i left behind 3 days ago. My route was made now.

Crawling on the ground, i painstakingly made my way to the next tombstone. My Mannlicher-SSG04 stuck to my back. Its weight was much heavier now.

After 4 tombstones, I saw the flower swaying with the wind. It glistened with a silvery glow due to the moons light. I felt a lump forming in my throat. I brushed the feeling aside. It wasn't time for that.

I made my way to another tombstone that was high enough for me to squat. My back against it as I tried to catch my breath.

Just as I was about to move forward, I felt a cold hand wrap around my wrist.

I jumped and immediately turned and pointed my gun to the person behind me.

The moon showed his blue-gray eyes. Despite the emotionless face, I saw worry creeping out of his features.

" (Y/N)... put the gun down."

His voice. I missed his voice. It had been days since I last saw him. My hands trembled as I put the gun onto my side.

He let go of my wrist and slowly put his callused hand on my cheek.

I felt my lips quiver and vision blur with tears I couldn't hold anymore. How did this happen? Why did this happen?

I felt his hand move towards my nape and followed his pull. I was now leaning on his shoulder.

"It's okay. Everything is okay. You don't have to run anymore."

I lifted my head and stared into his eyes once more.

"Tch, you're not in this alone."

I nodded and he crept his way forward. He always guided me. I knew I could count on him. No matter what the situation.

He glanced my way one more time before grabbing my hand. A minuscule smile formed on his lips.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes Levi, I trust you."

We glanced at our surroundings one more time and slowly tread our way to where everything started.


	2. Conversations with Stone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You go and visit your little brother.

How long has it been?

A week? A month? I'm not sure...

I rose up and let my feet touch the cold cement floor. The view from the bedside window wasn't that great. All I could see were old buildings. Brown and white. People were busy minding their own business.

I walked to the kitchen and made myself a hot cup of tea. Tea always had my back. It reminded me of when I would sit down the hospital bed and watch my little brother sleep.

Each sip would give my brain pictures of his chest rising and falling in a slow and steady rhythm. Tubes and machines surrounding him.

Doctors didn't know what he had. All they knew was that he was incredibly sick and that any movement he made, caused him an insane amount of pain.

As the tea cup was now starting to empty, I could recall the feeling of anger and resentment of all the bad shit I had to do just to keep him alive. How I was played for and ruined a dozen lives all for the selfish purpose of keeping him, my little brother, alive.

Things still went south. They always do, for me.

The day I realized that all my efforts were wasted always haunted me. It still does today.

It's been 3 months since I last saw my little brother. It was time for my visit again. It felt good to be able to see him again. I promised him that I would visit often in order to keep him company since he felt lonely all the time. I also promised him that I would buy him his favorite orange drink even if he wont be able to partake any amount whatsoever.

After getting ready and putting all the necessary goods into my bag, I head out and walked to the shared stables that this area has.

There, I saw (Horse/Name). (H/N) was gorgeous, as always. The way his/her mane rested on his/her neck was always relaxing to see. The subtle shine that his/her coat had after being exposed to sunlight was always a good feeling.

I rode (H/N) and trotted all the way to a flower shop. The lady knew me by now.

"(Y/N), it's been a while!" She greeted me with a soft smile.

"Hey Gertrude, I'll have the usual flowers..." I replied while rummaging for some cash.

"If I may ask child, what do you do with all these flowers? 387 flowers to be exact!"

How do I answer to that? I can't tell her... at least not yet...

"I like leaving flowers behind to those forgotten graves..." Yes, that's a good reason.

"Oh... that's so sweet of you! Well, I hope the freshness of these are to your liking sweet child."

I hand over the cash and rode (H/N) once more. I waved farewell to Gertrude as I made my way to the cemetery.

\- - - - -

One by one, I placed a single flower on tombstones that I knew by heart.

To be honest, I barely knew these people. I only met them for a few seconds.

But, I made sure that despite that horrible deed I did, I would slowly pay my respects to them. It wasn't easy to gather their names but luckily, they were all buried here and that saves a lot of time and effort.

Slowly, the bouquet got smaller and smaller till there was only one left. I made sure to pick the freshest and brightest (favorite flower) there was in the bunch.

Walking my way even deeper into the cemetery, I finally reached my destination.

I sat down and laid out all the contents of my bag. I opened the pack of orange juice and placed it beside the tombstone. I also took out some peanuts since my stomach started making funny noises.

"Hey, Call... How're you holdin' up?"

I knew there would be no response.

"You know, the lady asked my what I did with those flowers... I couldn't tell her. I do hope to one day, but not soon. I also have some big news!"

I took some peanuts and started eating them piece by piece.

"I signed up for the Military. today. I'm not in it yet but I do hope that I'll make it. I feel like it'll be somewhat easy knowing that I did all those... things before..." 

Just thinking about it made my spine shiver.

"I am worried though... I'm scared that they might find out who I really am and what I did... I made sure I was thorough but I still can't be so sure, knowing them."

I traced the orange juice and stared at my little brothers name engraved in stone.

Callaway Aiden (L/N).

"I don't know how I'll do it, but I made a promise to myself that I would kill 387 titans with my last dying breath. One titan for one name..."

I felt a lump in my throat forming. My vision was getting blur from the tears. I let out a few sobs just to take the weight of my shoulders. It usually helped. Today, the guilt of all the flowers were overbearing but I knew I had to carry it for the rest of my life.

I patted the Call's tombstone one last time and gathered all the trash to dispose of.

I saw (H/N) eating some grass and couldn't help but smile at the sight of my friend enjoying life.

I looked at the cemetery one last time. I bowed and closed my eyes and said a silent prayer. It's the least I can do...

'Everyone, I still mourn for you every single day. There is no amount of sorry's or kneeling that will ever make up for what I did to you all. However, I still wish to say sorry for everything.'

My tears were now pouring. I didn't bother holding on to them. It was all my fault.

I had murdered and tortured all of them just to make sure that Call would live... But I guess emotions took the better of me, blinded me even.

I raised my head and saw the clear blue skies. I exhaled deeply and climbed onto (H/N).

"(H/N) let's go. I have to get my things ready for tomorrow and bring you to your new owner..."

Damn. The thought of giving my only friend sent a pang to my heart, but I had to. I might not be able to see him/her ever again once I leave. 

The trip back to the shared stables was uneventful. As I tied the reins of (H/N), I heard the bells ringing. The Scouting Legion was back from an expedition. I barely see them leave or arrive so I might as well have a look.

The main street was crowded. People all wanting to see the Wings of Freedom emblems. I somehow managed to squeeze myself to the front and saw them.

It was bloody. They were bloody. Injured soldiers were being carried and dragged. Across me, an old lady was given the only remnant they could find of her son. Not the best sight. It was all so gloomy. I could feel my face morphing into a worried expression.

It still didn't stop me though. One day, I will be able to wear those tantalizing green cloaks and make up whatever little amount I can to those I did harm to. One day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> Well, that was quite a lengthy chapter one. I decided to let you feel the character for now and try to absorb what she did and show a little bit of her past.
> 
> My writing is a bit rusty since it's been a while, but I do hope that you will like how the story goes (despite it being the first chapter xD hihihi)
> 
> -KG


	3. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If Eren has a basement, you have a closet.

Today is the day that I finally get to start my path with the military.

Not going to lie, I'm nervous. Not with the training but with my identity.

If they find out who I am, I'm pretty sure they would hand me over to the MP. Hell, I don't even know how I made it this far without being caught.

I had to pull a few strings here and there but I guess I was able to efficiently cover up my tracks.

Everything was all set. I packed my bags and cleaned a bit just to make sure that if I don't make it, I still have a piece of home to go to.

There was one thing that I guarded with my entire life. The one thing that I just couldn't get rid of no matter how hard I tried.

I walked to my closet. I made this closet myself a few years back. I still remember all the splinters I had to endure just to make it right.

I felt the corners till I felt the small lever I made to conceal all my... toys.

Behind the wooden panel were all of the weapons I used to keep Call alive.

There were 7 in total. 4 long range and 3 short range guns that not even the MP knew about.

These were the same guns that destroyed all those lives of whom I dedicated those flowers to. To be honest, I had fun tweaking them. It's all I did in my spare time. I did have some help with a few others who were like me but these... were all my works.

Should the time come that they find out who I really am, I would gladly hand these over and show how powerful and hazardous they are. Hopefully not.

I locked the closet one more time and inserted the key into my bag.

Only a few minutes left till the military would fetch those who signed up.

Going down, I saw Gertrude holding onto (H/N).

For the time being that I was here, they were all I had. They showed me that despite being lost, people would always lend a helping hand. I owed Gertrude my life.

"Are you really going to go?" She whispered softly. Sadness all over her voice.

"I have to Gertrude. It's the only way i can feel like I paid for all my debts."

"Well, whatever amount of debt that may be, I sure hope that you'll still live to see the day you have some spare change."

I laughed at her remark. Because of Gertrude, I was able to smile again. I gave her a tight hug before heading to the main street.

\- - - - -

The training area wasn't far from where I lived.

The soldiers made us walk a few kilometers before actually arriving to the training barracks.

I saw a lot of new faces but I notice how empty they were. How in the world would I make bonds here?

After putting away all my stuff and wearing the uniform, we head out to the open field where we would start our journey.

Turns out, I'm part of the 104th Training Corps. Pretty cool but I still can't let my guard down.

I heard a scream coming from the front lines. I couldn't make out the words but I did catch that the bald man's name was Keith Shadis.

Screaming and mocking some of the trainees, he finally approached me.

"WHAT IS YOUR NAME?"

Walls, he's even louder in person.

"(Y/N) Avery (L/N), sir!"

"AND WHY ARE YOU HERE, (Y/N)?!"

My mind went blank. Shit. What do I say?

"uh, TO REPAY MY DEBT AND JOIN THE SCOUTS, SIR!" There you go.

He nears my face and stares at my (E/C) eyes. I try not to blink knowing I wasn't so sure as to what his movements are.

Before I could think of what to do next, I felt his knee digging into my stomach.

I let out a heavy cough and landed on my knees. Damn, that hurt.

"(Y/N), if you can't block or expect a move from a stranger, how in the hell's name would you fit in the Scouting Legion?"

I looked up and stared at him before regaining balance on both feet. He gives me a death glare on more time before moving onto the next person.

My body was shaking by now. It had been years since I last encountered anything physical. I swore that I would never rely on strength but that kick in the guts made me realize that in this world, I have to.

\- - - - -

It was now dinner time and I was able to sit down with a few people whom I made small talk with.

Their names were Mikasa, Eren, Armin, Jean, Connie, Sasha, Reiner, Bertolt, Ymir, and Krista. A freckled dude also made his way and sat down with us, Marco, if my memory was right.

I listened intently as Eren shared the story of how a huge as titan broke the walls in his hometown. I could see the hatred in his eyes. But, those emerald orbs also showed that he had motivation and hope that he would do his part.

I felt as though a cold wind had passed me and looked at my right. Mikasa was staring right into my soul.

"Can I help you?" Was all I could think of.

"No, it's fine" She replied while pulling a battered red scarf onto her lips.

As Eren stood up, Mikasa did as well. They clearly weren't siblings but one of them was clingy.

This was the group of people I would spend my days with. Not the best, but who was I to comment.

After a few more small talk, we made our way to the sleeping quarters and called it a night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> That's it for chapter 2! Not as lengthy but I still plan to build the foundation of the character before you meet the reason why you even bother reading this xD
> 
> As for the setting, I will be jumping from scenes in the anime and incorporating my own into it as well.
> 
> Hope you all are doing fine! :)
> 
> -KG


	4. Inked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikasa asks you about something you thought you kept hidden.

A week into training and my muscles feel like their melting. 

I woke up and barely had any strength to get up and start the day. I glanced at the window in the center of the room. The skies were still purple, probably 5am. 

My bed was the upper bunk so when I glanced to see Mikasa, she was awake too. 

"Good morning... Your muscles okay?" I whispered as to not wake the others. 

Her black eyes turn towards me. She let out a soft giggle. 

"Yeah, a little. It's been a week but still hurts." 

"We have an hour left before breakfast, wanna go jog or some shit?" 

She nodded as I stood up and landed softly on the wooden floor. 

We did what we had to do and slowly made our way out. 

It was quite chilly. The winds were comfortable. Both of us knew this would all disappear in the afternoon training sessions. 

"So, uhh, is that your favorite scarf?" For the sake of small talk. 

"Not exactly." 

"Did your parents give you that?" 

Her eyes widened at my question. Did I go to far? Crap. Are they one of the 387? 

"You don't have to answer that if you don't want..." 

"Eren." 

"Eh?" 

"He gave this to me when we met." Her cheeks were stained with a bright pink color. 

I nodded. 

"How did you get that tattoo?" 

My eyes widened at her question. How did she see my collarbone despite the uniform covering it? Yeah, I never thought that people would see it given I don't change in front of them. 

"Hmm,..." Lie your heart out. "Sometimes we make rash decisions when drunk" I smiled and winked. 

"You drink?" 

"I did but after the tattoo incident, I stopped." I laughed at this thought. 

Mikasa and I exchanged a few smiles and a bit more conversations. I like this girl. She's cool. 

We head back to the mess hall for breakfast. 

\- - - - - 

{flashback} 

"Call, I found a way to make you better..." I mumbled while holding onto his weak, cold hands.

"Really? How?" 

"I can't tell you yet, but I got something to show you!" 

Using my free hand, I unbuttoned my shirt 3 buttons down to show my shoulders. Etched on my right collarbone, was a phrase. 

It was still fresh since it was red and swollen. 

"Whoa! What is that?!" Call managed to comment loudly. 

"Most of the people I work with have these. Mine says 'Dum spiro spero'. It's a reminder that I have to work hard so you can see the big salt water lake... You like that don't you?" 

He smiled brightly. It caused me pain knowing he had no idea what I had been doing for all his medications. 

"We call this thing a 'tattoo'. It hurt when they drew it on my skin but it looks nice, doesn't it?" 

\- - - - - 

"(Y/N)..." 

I blinked and stared at the source. 

"Armin...? Sorry. I zoned out. Anything wrong?" 

Armin patted my shoulder and smiled. He was too smart for my own good. 

"You can tell my anything, you know? I'm good at keeping secrets." 

He is. But can he be trusted? Would it even make a difference if I told someone my past? 

I had grown fond of the 104th trainees. We forged a strong bond that I never experienced. Despite the small fights, we all had a silent agreement that we were all family. At least those who I sat with everyday. 

I stared at his bright blue eyes. All I could do was smile. A genuine one. 

I had people my dramatic ass could count on. 

"Just personal stuff. But I'm fine Armin." 

"You're not alone, (Y/N)." Sasha whispered. Had she been listening? 

I looked around me and found my... friends all nodding. 

"We'll always be here for you. In this world we live in, I guess it pays to know we have someone to fall on" Jean said while throwing me a piece of bread. 

The lump on my throat returns once more. 

Damn. I could get used to this.

\- - - - -

The afternoon training sessions were a bitch.

I always wondered why we had to do this. It's not like we'd have to use our bare hands to scratch the skin away from the titans to kill them. Heck, if that were the case, I'm out.

I was paired up with Jean today.

"Should we go all out?" He said while touching the tip of the wooden knife.

"I mean, I don't mind. Might as well, right?" Shrugging my shoulders.

With that I saw Jean move quickly.

He tried to stab my waist but I managed to hold onto his hand and pin it to his back. My face was met by a strong punch to my face. I backed up, I almost lost balance but he held on to my collar faster than I could react.

Fucks sake where did all my strength go? I would never make myself go through this if this happened a few years back. Should I go all out? Might as well give it a go.

Once our faces were only inches from each other, I gave him an uppercut and hooked his head using the same arm. I lifted my body using his shoulders as leverage. Making sure not to hurt him, I grabbed his back the moment my feet touched the ground and threw him with enough force to let the others hear a loud thud.

"Jeez (Y/N), didn't know you had it in you that much." Jean said while rubbing his nape.

I extended a hand and he gladly accepted it. We started laughing once we saw the bruises we gave each other.

"Not gonna lie, you were pretty good yourself too. Thank you for the small battle scars, dear sir." I bow.

"Aye, not a problem my lady..." He curtsied.

He placed his lean arms over my shoulders as we made our way to Reiner and Eren who had their asses up in the air. The blonde walking way probably was the reason why they were like that.

"Nice asses, you two." Jean commented.

"Annie can sure fight. I wonder who taught her how..." Reiner thought outloud. He glanced at Eren who nodded in agreement.

"What happened to you guys?" Eren asked while staring at our dusty uniforms and small bruises.

"(Y/N) here decided to go all out. Of course, I won."

I punched Jean on the side and he winced with pain. The other boys just laughed and I couldn't help but laugh as well.

The rest of the day was spent as usual.

When nightfall came, we all had the same dinner. Bread and bland soup, if that's what you can call it. Eren and Jean had their nightly fight which was always a fun thing to watch. Keith Shadis heard the commotion and damn, Mikasa managed to put the blame on Sasha.

It was a good night, but each and everyone of us knew that tomorrow would be the day.

Who would be the highest ranking trainees for the 104th?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> There you go! I just wanted to let you all get a feel and develop even more bonds with our beloved characters. This is just a filler for the upcoming chapters :) 
> 
> Patience is a virtue my dear soldiers, our Levi will soon appear! ;)
> 
> Till then, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
> 
> -KG


	5. Eye to Eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once again, you saw the Scouting Legion.

Torches now illuminated the open area. Trainees were gathered to know who would make it into the MP.

I wasn't that interested in bagging the #1 rank but I had to prove myself worthy to join good squads. If I remember, my grades were relatively okay. My 3DMG skills were excellent, handling the blades were tough at first but I got used to it soon enough, and I managed to ace the hand to hand combat skills.

Everyone was now formed in neat lines awaiting for the results.

"Should your name be called, move forward and form a single line."

Tension was now rising. The humidity wasn't helping one bit.

"We will now start calling the top 10 trainees, starting from 10. Please step forward... Sasha Blouse."

Alright! Sasha made it. Despite stealing bread a couple of times, she was still pretty darn good.

"Next, Connie Springer, Annie Leonhart, Marco Bott, Jean Kirstein, Eren Yeager..."

Damn, If Eren ranked 6th, do I even stand a chance?

"Bertolt Hoover, (Y/N) (L/N)..."

HOLY SHIT. I actually made it. Call, I'm on my way up buddster!

"Reiner Braun, and the top trainee for the 104th is no other than Mikasa Ackerman."

All of us were now lined up. Salutes all proud and strong.

"These are the faces who get to have the privilege of being part of the Military Police Brigade, should they choose. The rest of you will have the options to be in the Garrison or Scouting Legions."

I stared at all of my friends. I don't know where they plan on going, but I sure hope that we'll still cross paths once we have to go separate ways.

"All of you trainees have done well. Please proceed to the mess hall for dinner and prepare all necessary goods. We will be heading to Trost at the break of dawn. Dismissed."

\- - - - -

So last night, Eren did his speech again. This time he spat things out that he would join the Scouts to kill every single damn titan alive. Yes, Eren. We are fully aware of that.

But, I think what shocked me most was that, Armin would join too. Who am I kidding though, these 3 are like peas in a pod. It gives me a sense of relief that I would still be able to be with them.

It was now morning and we were at Trost. The triplets saw their Garrison Friend, Hans. They introduced me to him and even managed to insert a joke how he doesn't smell of alcohol. His 3DMG hung by his side made him look respectable. I bet he is. 

By now, the bells rang. This could only mean one thing. The Scouting Legion were about to show up. It's been a while since I last saw them. I heard there was a new commander and that they had higher survival chances now.

We managed to squeeze ourselves to the front. Just in time for their huge beautiful horses to show up from the corner.

I saw the commander. Erwin Smith. He was front and center. Bowing to all those who greeted and cheered for them.

"OH! What kind of titans are we going to see today?!"

Brown hair with eyeglasses, that would most likely be Hange Zoe.

Beside her was a small man who looked as if he was done with life. If any emotion came to his face, it was that of annoyance with Hange.

"Hey, there's Captain Levi. I heard he has the strength of a whole squad unit..." One of the bystanders whispered.

"Humanities Strongest? Isn't he too short?"

"Sheesh, all they do is use up our taxes. Useless shitheads..."

I stare at the bunch of people and raised my eyebrow when we made eye contact. They immediately fell silent. Bastards.

"If there's one weird titan we'll encounter, its probably you shitty-glasses."

I looked up and realized that Captain Levi was right in front of me. His gorgeous black stallion awaiting orders. He probably noticed me staring since we made eye contact.

Giving a small smile and a nod in the head, all I received was a roll of eyes.

"Tch..."

Rude.

"If you don't blink, your eyes would dry and you'd go blind." Reiner whispered to my ear.

Captain Levi looked at me once more then shifted to Reiner. Crap. Reiner, why? I pinched his ear till he crouched to my level. I could feel my cheeks heating up. I let go of his left ear and still caught the stare of humanities strongest soldier.

Next thing I knew, he had kicked his horse and the entire Scouting Legion stormed out of the gates of Trost.

It was times like this where I wish I would be able to join their adventures. I felt my tattoo itch.

How could I forget?!

I have to go see if Gertrude and (H/N) are still doing fine. I still had a few minutes to spare before we were instructed to go up the walls to clean the canons.

After two blocks, I saw Gertrude. My face relaxed and I immediately smiled and ran up to her. (H/N) was there as well.

"Gertrude!"

"Oh? Oh my goodness! (Y/N)! You're here!"

We met half way and hugged each other so tightly. I missed her hugs and the scent of her flower shop. I glanced at the flowers and saw that all of them were still fresh and had vibrant colors.

"My dear, how have you been?" She asked while tucking a loose strand of my hair.

"I'm fine Gertrude, I ranked 3rd out of all the 104th trainees! Isn't that sweet? But I can't stay long since we still have orders to follow." Sadness entered my voice now.

"It's alright. You can drop by later and we'll catch up, how about that?"

"That would be nice. I gotta go Gertrude, stay safe!"

We hugged one last time before I head my way up the walls to begin cleaning.

I caught up with Sasha who looked as if she was hiding something in her jacket. What did this girl steal this time?

When we all gathered around, turns out she stole ham! Everyone was hesitant at first but later agreed that we would all partake a small amount as a celebration of being able to advance together. We all shared a short laugh.

Just as I turned around to look at Eren... A huge strike of lightning appeared right behind him. It was enough to temporarily blind us. By the time our eyes adjusted again, we all froze.

All our jaws dropped and silence took over...

It's back.

The Colossal Titan. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -  
So just a little info, you actually live in Trost. Your house is a little farther away from the main street. Gertrude's flower shop is in the town center hence the short travel distance :) Just to clear up any confusion hehehe.
> 
> The build up is slow but eyyyy Levi is here now! I do hope that you enjoyed the slow build up of the story...
> 
> Take care and kisses!
> 
> -KG


	6. Saved by the Blade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Injured and bleeding, you get to be face to face with Captain Levi.

Okay.

Yeah.

How do I start?

Everything just became a blur once the Colossal Titan appeared and disappeared out of nowhere.

If we say it was a roller coaster ride, it was indeed a topsy-turvy, fear inducing ride.

In just a matter of minutes, we lost practically 70% of the 104th trainees. By the time we had gathered together, I counted and felt relieved that all of them were complete. All except one.

Eren.

Walls. How do I even begin to describe Eren. Just when we thought he was done for, the kid decides to become a motherfucking titan. A TITAN. He managed to help us reach the HQ to refill on our much needed supplies. Armin the Brain managed to make up a plan that killed all the titans in the basement. There, my first kill happened. 

Things took an even worse turn when The Triplets were held at canon and blades to see if Eren was a threat or not. It was followed by a huge strike of lightning, again.

Jean, Bertolt, Reiner, Connie, and I all looked at the source and thought what Eren had done but nothing else happened. Turns out Pixis came to their rescue.

But people are always tenfold here. We now had to face a new mission ahead. Making sure that Eren would safely plug the hole.

Armin managed to come up with a plan and all were quick to follow.

After Pixis managed to give the soldiers hope once more, the plan commenced immediately.

They assigned me to help Eren reach the boulder. And to kill any titan should the scenario need it.

The thing with killing titans was that it was nerve wrecking the first time, but once you get to slice and kill one... You somehow get used to the feeling. I knew I had to kill whatever titan may come, both for Eren's sake and for those 387 people.

Things went according to plan. We reached the jump off point and started maneuvering our way to the boulder. We landed on the roof and watched as Eren transformed once again. But, yeah, things sort of went south since he tried to kill Mikasa. Yep, Eren tried to kill Mikasa.

By now, the Garrison unit had given up on Eren and we had no choice but to start killing titans who were approaching Eren.

I started with my right and full on charged 3 titans. Bold move for a rookie but despite my sweaty palms, I was determined.

I aimed my 3DMG to one titan's shoulders and successfully blinded it. I zipped over to the next one and immediately sliced the back of it's nape before heading back to the blinded one and ended up slicing it's entire neck area. 

One more left and I could go back and see if Eren needed any more assistance. 

I zipped my way up till the 3rd titan caught a hold of my cable.

I turned and watched it's gigantic mouth getting nearer and nearer. I managed to use my blades to strike at its mouth but it didn't let go of my wires sending me to a momentous fall.

I felt that real good. I felt my face throbbing and saw blood dripping from my forehead down to my cheek. My left arm badly needed stitching now and to make things worse, I felt as though my rib cage had crumbled to dust.

I winced as I counted my ribs. Great. I had 4 damaged ribs. 3 on the left and 1 on the right.

I didn't even notice that my foot was still tangled to the 3DMG wires. I slowly untangled my foot. With such slow movements, I tried regaining balance. Inspecting my gear, it was too damaged to function.

As if my day couldn't get any worse, the ground started to shake.

Running at full speed towards me was an abnormal. A 7-meter one to be exact.

Adrenaline pumping in my veins, I made a run for it. But it wasn't enough. No matter how hard I tried, the pistons just wouldn't work.

By now, the titan had caught up and lifted me up like a feather. I was wrapped in its hand. As it drew me closer to it's mouth, its grip got tighter and tighter.

Crap. I can't breath.

All of a sudden, a wire zipped behind the titan and holy walls the scream the titan emitted was deafening. I felt the grip loosening and started to fall.

My body was caught and saved from falling. Thank you whoever you are.

"Are you that useless that you can't even use your own gear?"

We landed on the roof and I fell down on all fours. The ringing was too strong for me to hear what that person even said. I felt my left eye start to close. My body was trembling by now.

"Oi. Useless piece of shit."

He kicked my gear and I winced with pain.

"Stand up."

The fuck boy? Can't you see that I can't stand up like this... I looked up and saw the same raven haired Captain I saw a few hours ago.

He grabbed my collar and that made me cry out pain. My ribs hurt like hell and frankly, I don't think he cared. He stared at me with his blank eyes. Surveying whatever he thought needed it.

As if things couldn't get any worse I felt his palm slap my face.

"If you don't get your shit together, you're better of as titan bait."

And just like that, he leaves me alone. He made his way to where his squad was.

He was right though... I was better of as titan bait if I couldn't get a hold of myself.

I suddenly felt a jolt of electricity in me. If there's one thing I have to do, it's to prove that I am not a useless piece of shit.

I scan my perimeter and saw my ticket.

Squashed under a huge bolder was a trainee who had a 3DMG.

Who's titan bait now, asshole.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> Its quite lengthy but I had to redo this chapter since I failed to save my first draft :(
> 
> How's the story so far? I hope its as engaging and gives you a more personal touch with the characters :)
> 
> Take care!
> 
> -KG


	7. Adrenaline

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You prove you aren't titan bait...

{FLASHBACK}

I opened my eyes. My eyelids felt swollen. Heck, my whole face felt swollen.

It's dark and damp.

I tried moving my hands but my wrists are tied up behind my back. The movement causing pain to rush down my body.

The place reeks like blood. Is it mine?

My eyesight finally adjusts. I'm in a... ward?

Glancing at the table beside me, I saw tools. Did they use these on me? Shit. What did they do? Why can't I remember?

The steel doors opened. What looks to be a doctor entered the room. As if on cue, he locks the door and slowly approaches me.

"How are you, Killshot?"

"Where am I?"

"You're where you need to be..." He barely whispers as he grabbed another injection filled with crimson liquid. His attention all on me now.

"Wait... The fuck is that?"

I start attempting a useless escape but even I know I'm too weak to fight.

This doctor grabs my jaw and inserts the needle to my julgar vein.

Holy shit that stings.

He drags a stool and positions himself to face me.

"Do you know why you are here, Killshot?"

"Enlighten me."

"The boss gave me specific instructions to, how do I say, modify you..."

"Oh yeah? Am I his new favorite now?"

I felt a huge fist hit me in the back of my head. Clammy hands held onto my jaw to make sure I was giving them my full attention. I felt something slimy trickle down my cheek. Did he just spit at me?

"What the hell did you do to me?" I could taste the blood now.

"We injected a serum to enhance your adrenaline. Should the situation arise where you face life or death, your adrenaline will merge with 40% of your blood cells to ensure 100% survival rate."

"Damn..."

\- - - - -

Somehow I managed to make my way to the unfortunate soldier who was squished.

I could feel the serum working. I never thought it would work since I've never had to go through life and death situations. It was always the other way around.

I hurriedly detached the 3DMG and replace it with mine.

My left arm was useless at this point as it caused too much pain to even lift it. I ripped away part of the late soldiers pants as a makeshift bandage.

Using only one eye was quite tricky. My left eye had been swollen shut now. It was throbbing, yes, but the adrenaline was kicking in.

As I was about to shoot back up to the roof, something shiny caught my eye. 

A few blocks away was an MP whose carcass held a shotgun.

I caught myself shivering but still limped all the way to the MP. I may be titan bait but this shotgun might help me either way.

Upon closer inspection, it was a riot shotgun. 8 shells available. The MP had 4 extra shells in his belt. That would do the trick. It was more than enough.

This was a risk. A calculated one. We barely had any gun handling sessions during the training so, I'm pretty sure I'll be taken in for questioning. But, whose to say that adrenaline never gets the best of you. Right?

I zipped my way up to the roof and saw Titan Eren finally carrying the boulder. About time.

\- - - - -

After adjusting to maneuvering with only one cable to rely on, I managed to catch up with the 'Protect Titan Eren Squad'.

"(Y/N), about time you-- What the hell happened?"

My mind was too foggy at this point in time that I couldn't recall what his name was but he did have mustard hair tho.

"Titan."

"Where did you get the shotgun?" He pointed at my pathetic left arm holding the gun.

"I grabbed it from the dead body of an MP, thought it might come in handy? It's just point and shoot right? Can't be that hard..."

"Can you still fight?"

"Why else would I be here, Mustard?"

He shook his head at my comment. But still, nodded in approval and ordered me to go towards Eren, Mikasa, and Armin.

I ran my way and saw an 8-meter titan approaching Mikasa and Armin.

With the serum now taking full effect, I jumped and aimed one wire at the titans shoulders. I aimed the shotgun directly at the iris of the titan causing it to lose its sight.

Titans-eye. Too easy.

I aimed my hooks towards the nearest building for more speed and successfully swung for easier access to the nape. With full momentum, I sliced in deep. I turned in mid-air to attach my hook once more to the shoulder blade and this time made sure to connect the second slice to fully remove the nape.

As the titan fell to the ground, I shot myself towards the next titan. My hook attached to its forehead, I aimed my blade at the center of it's face. Starting from the chin, I managed to create a gap and threw a shotgun shell into its exposed head.

I zipped just in time before the shell exploded causing blood to splatter everywhere. Leaving a headless titan on the street.

Now that I was closer to The Triplets, I forced myself to run even faster. 

Then finally, Eren dropped and plugged the hole.

Within seconds, his titan drops to his knees and I see Mikasa and Armin trying their luck to take Eren out. I couldn't see well but it looks as though Eren were asleep.

My eye widened as I saw two 7-meter titans approach Armin and Eren.

I swung all the way down and fired the shotgun 3 times. The recoil not affecting my precise aim for the eyes and the root of the nose. Before it could react, I maneuvered towards it's back aiming for its nape.

Right on time, I managed to land on the titans chest while the other titan dropped dead near Eren and Armin.

As the steam started to clear, I glanced at who the other soldier was and well... it was Captain Levi.

He caught my eye and stared at the titan beneath me. For a moment, I saw his eyes widen with shock but quickly returned to being blank.

We didn't let go of our stares until I heard ringing in my ears.

I sat down and massaged my temples. Each second that passed, the pain grew stronger and stronger. I winced in pain and let out a scream. My body started shaking uncontrollably.

I opened my eye and saw a pair of boots in front of me. Everything started to blur.

"Oi... Cadet (L/N)?"

The last thing I felt was a pair of hands hold onto my shoulders before giving in to fatigue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> And there you have it.
> 
> This was a challenging chapter to write since I tried making up 3DMG scenarios in my head but I guess its not too bad... right? XD
> 
> Hope you this peaked your interest!
> 
> -KG


	8. My Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You made the choice of joining Squad...

When all chaos had ended, I was immediately sent to the medical wing in the HQ. Despite the rubble and dust, they managed to clear an area for sustaining the injured.

I woke up with 60 stitches on my left arm, a bandage wrapped around my torso, and a bandage over my left eye.

Jean and Connie were by my side. Jean massaging his ankle while Connie was stretching his arms. Both of them smiled when they saw me sitting up.

"Hey, (Y/N)!! You're awake and you look like absolute shit." Jean remarked while scooting next to me.

"What happened?"

"You don't remember? You helped The Triplets by killing a titan before it could reach them. You started shaking and screaming so Captain Levi carried you all the way here..." Connie replied. Scratching his nape while waiting for your response.

"Oh..."

"That's it?" Jean punched my shoulder causing me to wince in pain.

"Was that necessary? How was I supposed to react?"

"(Y/N), Captain Levi, a.k.a Humanities Strongest Soldier, carried you like a limp bride all the way here!" Connie loudly whispered as not to gather attention.

"You're not a fan girl?" Jean's eyes widened.

Both their faces were inching towards me now. If I wasn't on pain medication, I swear they'd make good titans.

"Why? Are you?"

Speak of the devil, Commander Erwin and Captain Levi suddenly entered the vicinity. We immediately cut the topic and gave a firm salute.

Knowing my face was fucked up, I lowered my chin to hide whatever I could and save the embarrassment of which is my face.

"At ease, cadets." Commander Erwin instructed. It was a soft but stern enough for us to relax.

"Do we have to go out and slice some titans, sir?" I weakly commented.

He gave a low chuckle and shook his head. I guess he has a sense of humor under those thick eyebrows. Holy walls, they weren't kidding when they gave him the nickname Commander Eyebrows.

"No. You all deserve to rest. You were thrown into battle without any preparation whatsoever yet, you managed to team up and help save Trost. Casualties may have incurred but without you all, numbers would have tripled."

All three of us listened with awe as Commander Erwin gave his speech. If this man tells me to charge empty handed, hell, I'd gladly do it. With that charisma, he can surely make us do what he wills us to.

"I came here to offer my heartfelt thanks." He gave us a firm salute and we heard how rock hard his pecks were. What a specimen, this commander.

"Don't get used to it, brats."

Damn. For a hot minute, I forgot he was there.

I stared at him but he kept his eyes distant.

"You all know, Captain Levi Ackerman..." Commander Erwin shifts his position for us to get a better look at the Captain.

Without a nod or even turning his head, he just shifts his eyes to all three of us. I doubt this person likes the concept of teamwork.

"Anyway, all of you rest. Cadet (L/N), may I have a word with you alone?"

Is this where it ends for me?

"Sure, sir."

I gingerly stood up. It didn't hurt as much as I expected it to but now that I was standing I came to the realization that i was half naked. I looked for my uniform but I knew it was soiled and the nurses threw it away.

Connie seemed to take notice and gave me his cloak. I nodded him a thank you and limped my way with such intimidating people.

"My office is quite far, are you okay with walking?" Commander Erwin asked.

"Yeah, I mean, Yes sir."

I was tailing them. Both of their backs towards me. Each step I took was equivalent to 3 of theirs. Keeping up with them caused the pain to increase but it was tolerable.

After a few more corners, we finally reached Commander Erwin's office. At least is assigned office here at Trost.

He motioned me to sit down and with pleasure I did.

"(Y/N), Levi told me that you took down 2 titans. Is that correct?"

"No sir, I took down 5."

"I see. May I ask how did you manage to do it?"

Fuck. Here it is. There's no use in lying here.

"Well... after a good pep talk, I realized that I had to do something so I moved onward. I saw that a fallen soldier had a 3DMG that I could switch with mine. An MP's carcass was nearby that had a shotgun so I thought that it might prove useful so I took it as well."

"How long have you held a shotgun in your life?"

"Only twice, sir." This was true though. I never liked shotguns. I always found them too loud.

"Yet you managed to hit them with such precision?" Captain Levi inserts himself into the conversation. Commander Erwin didn't seem to mind. I could hear his suspicions along with handcuffs now.

"I did?" I bit the corner of my tongue trying to suppress my laughter. 

A cough came from Commander Erwin. He always knew what to do with situations like these. His companion just made that 'Tch' sound and sat himself into the nearest chair.

"(Y/N), I would like to invite you personally into the Scouting Legion."

I let out a gasp. This was a twist I was not expecting.

"W-what?"

"You showed skill during that time, even your fellow trainees can attest to that. The plan was to make you accompany Eren with Squad Levi."

My face wrinkled.

"With all due respect, I don't think I'm the right person to guard Eren. Mikasa Ackerman is much more fit for the job."

"She has her emotions attached to the boy. It clouds judgement. You are much older than them so I saw it fitting to fall on you."

"Whose squad will I belong to, then?"

"If you deem useful, Captain Levi would take you into his team."

I stared at him. He sticks his sight to the skies outside the window.

"Do I have a say as to which squad I can go to?"

"Do you have one in mind? If so, then I can pull a few strings."

"I'd like to placed in Squad Hange."

For a moment, things got somewhat comical.

The moment I finished my sentence, Commander Erwin's elbow slid of his desk. He quickly regained composure. Captain Levi suddenly choked and stared at me with a look that held a thousand questions.

The door suddenly opened and I felt someone touch my shoulders.

"Well, that was an interesting turn of events! I thought you would practically run to Shorty's squad!" Hange said with a beaming smile and childlike wonders in her eyes.

"If that's the case... then I will file the papers now. Congratulations (Y/N) (L/N), you are now part of the Fourth Squad." Commander Erwin says as he took out some papers from his desk.

Hange carefully assisted me as we walked out the office. I was about to bid my thanks and goodbye's till Hange suddenly turned us around making us face Captain Levi.

"Looks like I won the bet shorty!"

What?

"Shut up, four eyes. Get your shitty face out of here."

Hange turned again causing me to move my waist causing me to shake with a pain. She apologized and we head our way out to her lab.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> And there you have it! You are now part of the Fourth Squad! and did Hange and Levi make a bet about you? ;)
> 
> hope this chapter was alright! :)
> 
> -KG


	9. Hange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Hange have a heart to heart...

Hange's lab was in the far end of the HQ. Luck was favoring her since it had no evidence of any damage.

Though this was only a temporary lab for her, she was able to keep boxes and boxes of all her findings and research about titans.

She gently placed me on the chair then sat across me.

"So, welcome to my squad (Y/N)!"

I always admired how cheery she was. Despite the wreckage outside, she always managed to find the positivity in everything. She quickly took out a notebook and threw me a blank one.

"What's this for?"

"In case you'd have some ideas for experiments, be it titan involved or not, you write it down and we make it happen!"

This is why I chose to be with Hange. Her quirkiness was always refreshing and made me feel light inside. The way she chose to look at titans may have been controversial for a lot of people, but it didn't stop her. She dedicates her insane brain to help people understand them more.

"But, I would like to ask you..." Hange asked as she removed her glasses.

"Anything."

"Why join me here? Squad Levi would have been happy to have you. I saw how you attacked those titans and you would have made a very nice fit."

"I mean, yeah, Captain Levi's squad is really tempting but I like making stuff. Like, experiments or tweaking weapons, I bet you can understand"

"Tweaking weapons?"

Hmm... How do I explain this without giving myself out.

"Uh, so I sort of tweaked my 3DMG. I tightened the knob for the pressure that way the wires would eject faster and gas usage would be lessened."

Her eyes widened and she quickly took down notes, all while nodding her head in the process.

"Another question, how did you make the titan's head explode?"

"Hm... I recalled that the shotgun bullets the MP use have a special property infused with the gun powder. It was a risk but because of the high body temperatures they have, I thought that it could cause an explosion...?"

"Would you happen to know what property that was?"

This I was sure of my answer.

"Isolated neutrons."

"How do you know all this?"

"I like to read." That was always the best lie I had when it came to interviews like this. They always fall for it.

She let a sigh and took her glasses off. Placing them gently on the table, she reached for my hand and gently held them in between hers.

"Honey, we don't find those kinds of information in books."

I'd be lying if I said this catch me by surprise. Did I underestimate Hange? The look of childlike wonders were nowhere to be found in her eyes. She managed to switch personalities that fast. No wonder Commander Erwin always kept her by his side. She catches onto things quick.

I felt a lump form on my throat again. Hange seemed to notice since she dragged her chair and moved closer to me.

"Whatever it is you did, (Y/N), I'm sure it wasn't that bad..." Placing her hand on my shoulder. She started petting it too. "What happened?"

I was clenching my jaw to the point where I was sure she could see my face trembling. I close my eye and let go of the tears that had formed.

"I'm a terrible person, Hange."

She stood up and I heard her lock the doors to her lab. Taking a seat once more, she grabbed my hand and I knew she gave me her ears.

This is it, isn't it? I'm finally telling someone.

"I had a brother..." I began. "He was sick with something the doctors had no idea of. I was getting desperate so I looked for ways to support his medication. One day, this person came up to me and offered me a deal. If I work for him, they would care for all of his needs."

Hange tilted her head. Her hands still forming circles on my palm.

"I knew it was off but I was just so desperate that I agreed. I never met the boss, we just referred to him as Capocrimine."

"Wait... Capocrimine as in the leader of mobs in Mitras?"

"Yeah. I was under his orders for half my life. At first the instructions were fairly simple: smuggle weapons, food, clothing, and whatever he needed. I started noticing that it got riskier and riskier as the months went by until..."

I stopped. The horrible memory came flashing back in my head once more.

"It's alright, (Y/N). What happened?"

"I received instruction that I was to trail a family heading to an exclusive party. My main target was the toddler that they had. I never asked questions so I made my way. The second instruction came when I met up with one of the members in the party. I was hesitant at first but I had to get the kid and bring him to a bunker.

"It was too easy to get the kid since the parents didn't keep his eyes on him. We just needed to get information on how to access their house. The kid didn't budge too easily so I had to... force it out of him. Till this day I can still hear his screams in my dreams.

"How he begged me to stop and that he wanted his mom and dad... How his face was unrecognizable in just a few hours of being with me... When we were able to get the needed information, I got the signal to get rid of the kid. I thought I could just let him run but they wouldn't have it. With open eyes, I pulled the trigger and ended it right there..."

Hange made no comment. She still kept my hands in hers. By now, my tears wouldn't stop flowing. I knew she wanted to know more but her gears were ticking. Almost as if putting the pieces together.

"(Y/N), how were you able to clear your name?"

"I never did. To be honest, I'm still in hiding. I was able to persuade some of the MPs who were with the Capocrimine that if they could erase my files, I would guarantee them safety if they were to be called into question."

Her brows furrowed. She squinted her eyes and focused it on me.

"Do you know who 'Redsummer' is?"

My lip twitched when she mentioned that name. I never saw him after that incident we had in Shiganshina. I loathed him with all I had.

"Sadly, I do. But, I haven't seen him in 4 years. Why?"

"Squad Levi and Erwin were able to track him down--"

"What? Wait..."

"Let me finish, they tracked him down so they could see if their hunches were right. They failed in the end. Never got a single information regarding the Capocrimine."

Fear was now choking me. I had no idea what was to come now that I told how everything started.

"He did give a name though..."

Before Hange could state the name, we both were started at the loud banging of her door. She stared into my eyes with pity and sympathy. Wearing her glasses once more, Hange stood up and unlocked her door.

"Why the fuck would you lock your door, shitty glasses?"

"What's up Shorty? Me and (Y/N) were just planning on testing some titan hypothesis, wanna join us?" Her face was close to the Captain's now. His face displayed disgust, one of the few emotions he would show.

"Erwin want to talk with you."

My gasp must have been a tad too loud since both of them looked my way. I stared back at the floor. Trying to hide the fact that I was vulnerable at the moment.

Hange walked up to me and whispered...

"You're secret is safe with me, (Y/N). I won't sell you out but you still owe me more explanations..."

I stared at her and couldn't help but cry once again. She hugged me tightly and went out of the office. I tried to quickly regain myself knowing that the other person was still there.

"What do you want?" I turned so my back would face him. "If it's another slap in the face, I'm sorry but I'd like a pass."

His footsteps were getting louder and louder till I could feel his death stare behind me. 

"Erwin told me to apologize for slapping you in the face."

"Tell Erwin I forgive him." I could feel my swollen eye opening just to roll both my eyes.

To my surprise, Captain Levi stayed still but patted my head.

Moments after, I heard the door closing. I was finally alone.

I brought my head to my palms in an attempt to fight a breakdown when I felt something fall to my knees. It was a piece of fabric. No creases and practically glowed with cleanliness. I found it familiar though.

Wait... I folded it just enough for a piece of it to dangle loose. Either my mind was just numb or the Captain left his cravat on my head.

Maybe he really was sorry after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> This was quite difficult to write but I think its okay :) You finally told someone and to your surprise it was Hange. Hopefully this means that you will grow a more personal connection with Hange Zoe :)
> 
> Take care and have a nice day!
> 
> -KG


	10. Cravat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You return the cravat and share with Hange your closet...

A week had passed since Hange and I had the talk.

It felt good to tell someone something I had been keeping all to myself for so long. I still didn't know for sure if I could truly trust Hange, but my gut feeling told me to. 

As of the moment, there were no expeditions since Commander Erwin was still finalizing this formation we had to use so we could get to Eren's basement.

Speaking of basement, I felt cold sweat forming on my forehead. It's been more than a week and I still wasn't able to check how things were in my area. Numbness always found it's way each time I thought of Gertrude and (H/N). Walls, I hope their doing okay. Maybe I could persuade Hange to accompany me. She'd probably want to see the closet.

Ah shit, my closet. Was it still there? I knew that people had cleaned the area of dead bodies, if my place was damaged, then they probably would have sent out a message to all looking for who owned those. 

I looked back at all the papers I had scrawled on the table. Hange had tasked me to research on chemicals we could infuse with the steel blades in order to make it easier to take down titans. 

Hange also mentioned how we would be developing this new weapon to catch something Commander Erwin had set his eyes on ever since he knew about titan shifters.

Grabbing the sketches of the weapon, I couldn't help but wonder how Hange uses her brain to come up with these.

As for my injuries, my left eye was doing much better. It was still swollen though. The nurse told me that I would have the scar for the rest of my life. She said to call it a remembrance. I traced it lightly with my fingers and let out a deep sigh.

I glanced and checked my torso, my fingers putting small amounts of pressure to see if my ribs still hurt. Recovery was slow here but at least they didn't hurt as much as they did before.

My eyes fell to the white fabric hanging like a scarf. I had meant to return this to it's rightful owner but I just didn't have the courage or he was too busy with paper work. I had laundered it twice just to make sure it was clean.

I stood up and made my way to his office. Might as well get this over with, you know?

By the time I reached his office, after getting lost for a solid 8 minutes, I brushed whatever dust I had in me and proceeded to knock.

"Name and business"

"Cadet (L/N), I wanted to return your cravat, sir."

There was no response but I somewhat felt uneasy after I finished my sentence. I heard footsteps and the door finally opened. He motioned me to enter his office.

The rumors were true. I had never seen such a clean office. It was the exact opposite of Hange's lab. Just by looking at the place, you could tell that there was not a single molecule of dust. Heck, I bet even dust would be afraid of this man.

Awkward silence filled the air. I lifted my hand and showed him the neatly folded cravat. He just stared at it blankly.

"About time you returned it."

I only noticed now that he had no cravat on today. He took it from my hand causing our fingers to slightly brush. The Captain immediately twisted and tied it back to his signature look. He moved pretty fast that I stared too much.

"If you have nothing better to do, get out."

I zoned back in and he was already on his way to his desk. Dreading the feeling of having to face papers again, I might as well start small talk. But I'm sure he hates small talk, but why not?

"So, uh, I also wanted to say thank you for slapping me awake that time. Granted it was unnecessary, it was a good push." I stared intensely at the floor.

He just hummed his reply. Signing one paper and proceeding to the next one, he barely raised his eyes.

"Uh, why do you wear a cravat?"

There, I got his attention. He shifted his gaze and met mine.

"Why should I answer to a cadet?"

Yeah, nevermind. Fuck small talk I'm out. I gave him a salute even if he barely raised his sight to meet mine and slowly made my out of his office.

\- - - - -

I met Hange on the way back and I was greeted with a huge smile on her face. The usual.

"Yo! (Y/N)! Where have you been? I have something that might spark your interest."

"I just went to Captain Levi's office to return his cravat."

She stopped walking and positioned herself in front of me. She tightly held my shoulders. Her eyes were wide with intrigue. Oh boy, here we go...

"YOU NEVER TOLD ME HE LEFT YOU HIS CRAVAT?"

"I, uhh, sorry?"

"Well? Well? Well? How did things go?" She was shaking me at this point in time. I giggled knowing this was the typical Hange.

"What are you expecting? I just returned it and he accepted it. I tried initiating conversation but he was too busy with his paperwork."

She put a finger on her chin and started thinking. There will come a day when I will understand how Hange uses her brain.

I continued to walk forward. She matched my pace except she was now walking backwards. Still in her thinking process. She suddenly lifted her head and stopped my tracks again.

"Tell me, (Y/N)... did he open the door?"

"He opened the door...?"

Her smile even widened and she finally walked normally. Her strides much bigger and faster. She giggled to herself.

"Things have gotten interesting, my dear sweet protege."

We finally reached her lab and made our way back to the tables with papers.

I took a seat and began to immerse myself with work. Hange did the same as well.

Both of us were silent for the duration. Occasionally Hange would hand me more papers to look into.

For others, this may be boring but not to me. Before Gertrude, reading was my sanctuary. Though it was difficult at first, I slowly taught myself how to read and write.

"Before I forget, do you have any suggestions for the weapon Erwin wants us to design?"

"We can probably modify the steel wires. We can instead have it 40% steel and 60% graphene. It would make the wires shoot faster and it wouldn't be as heavy to transport."

"But graphene is quite expensive though..."

"Probably worth it. It lasts longer than steel and it's more durable. The heat emitted from the titans would only cause them to bond more with the steel components."

"Did you learn all this by yourself?" I knew she was going to ask this.

I put down my pen and slumped my shoulders. 

"I did but it took a while. When I was still working with the Capocrimine, they made me redesign their weapons. Each failed attempt meant no food for days on end."

Hange now did the same and gathered all her attention on me. I wasn't too sure but I think she had a hint of sparkle in her eye.

"Did you... make anything?"

I couldn't contain my smile.

"I did actually... and I've been meaning to tell you about it."

She shifted her head in a manner that I knew she was all ears.

"Well... I made 7 weapons but their in my house. I am scared though since it was where all the chaos happened before Eren plugged the whole. It's been on my mind now if it's still there or not."

Hange stood up and grinned. She grabbed whatever piece of paper she could, along with her notebook.

"Why didn't you say so earlier?! Come on, (Y/N)!! Let's go and see if it's still there or not!"

She was now grabbing my elbow and dragging me to the hallway. She suddenly stopped moving which caused me to bump into her.

"Let me just go get Shorty and a few other people!"

"What why?"

"Well, we can't go there alone. The place might be filled with runts and we gotta make sure that we have numbers for intimidation. Shorty and the 104th will accompany us."

"Okay, but why bring the Captain along? You're already going..."

Again, she leans in close to me. Smiling like an idiot.

"Because, he doesn't open doors for anyone sweetie! He doesn't even do that to Erwin---" She was now in the far end running to gather people.

Just like that, she left me in the hallway to think about what she had said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> There you go :) Just wanted to add insert a little moment with our favorite captain~ Hoping he's still in character for you all ! 
> 
> -KG


	11. Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You reunite with your closet.

Because the distance wasn't too far from the HQ, Hange managed to gather Commander Erwin (oh my god), Captain Levi, Armin, Sasha, and Eren.

We were all on horseback as we approached area.

My heart started to fall onto itself once we arrived. Despite the site being cleared for bodies, some of the bloodshed had still remained. Debris, rubble, and dust were starting to take over. I felt my hands tightening the reins on my new horse. My breathing also hastened.

I had made a mental note that Gertrude and (H/N) were long gone by now. My vision started to cloud but I gulped it away. Now wasn't the time.

We slowly made our way deeper into the area. The deeper we got, the number of damaged buildings increased.

We passed by what used to be Gertrude's flower shop. It was barely recognizable now. Half of the building had collapsed. The other half showed broken windows and wood shards waiting to fall. Blood could be seen at the edges of some debris, people must have not made it in time. Gertrude must have not made it in time.

I got off my horse and so did Hange. 

I previously told her that once we reach the flower shop, we would walk our way to my building. She politely agreed. 

Commander Erwin and Sasha were chosen by Hange to accompany us. How I would deal with Commander Erwin, I don't know. But I heard he has a soft side for cadets with tragic stories, so maybe mine would fit the cut, perhaps? Doubt it.

I lead them all the way to where the building was. It took us about 10 minutes do all the damages around us.

When we arrived, I was glad that the building was relatively stable. Yes, there was a huge gash in the middle that showed the floor partitions, windows were still broken, and some wiring were dangling, other than that, it was still close to home.

Hange made sure that the floors Commander Erwin and Sasha would check wasn't the one my room was on. We immediately proceeded with caution once we were inside.

The stairs going up creaked with our body weight and gears. The place was usually silent but this was different. It felt clammy and empty.

Upon reaching the 3rd floor, I saw that my door was open. Light spilling from the windows inside my room. We carefully made our way with blades on our hands for precaution.

Using the tip to open the door, we saw that it was safe and no one was inside.

Hange went to my small desk where I had kept all my notebooks regarding chemicals, poisons, and remedies. She grabbed the stool and started to unload everything. I didn't mind, that was one of the reasons why we came here. I wanted to give my research to her as a way of saying thanks.

I looked at my closet. It was still there. The left door was now hanging with only one hinge as support. Bringing myself closer to it, I noticed that the screw was missing from the first hinge.

A bad feeling started creeping into my system. I surveyed the room and noticed that dust was light on my desk and closet areas as compared to what was left of my bed and bookshelf.

"H-Hange...?"

She shot me a look from her shoulders.

"What is it, (Y/N)?"

"Someone's been here before us..."

She immediately gathered all my notes and books into her small bag. Her eyes were now all over the closet. Hange made her way till we were now side by side. Giving me a nod, I felt for the lever.

click.

I lifted the heavy piece of wood that revealed...

"Holy shit... holy shit... Hange?" My voice was shaking.

I dropped the cover and fell on my knees. My eyes not letting go of the emptiness.

"Hange... oh my god..."

As if on cue Hange knelt and gave me an affirming hug. She patted my shoulders and gave me reassuring whispers.

"It's empty."

We heard footsteps rushing towards us. Commander Erwin, Sasha, and Captain Levi (who somehow managed to catch up to us) entered the room with obvious confusion on their faces.

I let out some of my tears as I stared at the empty storage. All my hard work, the endless possibilities as to who got it, and the coming punishments to come flooded me. I felt like I was choking. I could barely breath.

"What the heck is this, shitty eyes?"

"Someone has been here. They somehow managed to find (Y/N)'s research."

They all scanned the perimeter and glanced outside the window.

"Everyone, this little quest is done. Head back to HQ now." Commander Erwin instructed.

I felt Hange lift me up. My knees were shaking and my thoughts were running wild.

"Can you walk?"

"Yeah, I'm okay Hange..."

"We'll talk more in the lab, 'kay?"

She gave me one last reassuring hug before she made her way out. I slowly followed.

Heading back to our horses, I stopped midway. If there was one person who could help, it would be Call. I needed to release all my problems to him.

"Commander, permission to speak."

"Please do."

"I'd like to stay behind for a while. I'd like to visit my brother's grave. It's not too far from here. I'll be back before sunset. Would that be okay?"

"Permission granted."

I immediately hopped on my horse and raced towards the cemetery. Tears falling down as I made the horse run faster.

\- - -

I tied up my horse where I usually did with (H/N). I gave him/her neck rub and made my way.

I still made sure to touch the tombstones of the 387 people. It was slow but I made a promise to myself that whatever situation may occur, I still had to pay respects.

After zigzagging, I finally made it to the far end of the cemetery.

Call's name was now partially hidden due to the overgrown grass. I took out a blade and cut them off. A few slices and his name was visible again.

I sat on the ground and pulled my kneed to my chest. I let it all out this time. No one was there to hear my pathetic cries. I just kept wailing and wailing till no more tears would come out. I felt like vomiting. My nails were digging into my jacket. I could feel them penetrate my skin.

Minutes passed and I finally calmed down. I tried to make my breathing even again. My eyes stung with each blink. I was exhausted.

"Call, I don't know what to do anymore... It's all gone, Call. All of it."

A soft breeze passed by. It made me calmer.

"I don't know what's going to happen now, Call. Should I look for them? Should I contact them? Where did they hide them? Fuck, I don't even have the slightest idea who took them..."

My words were whispers now. I felt like I was about to burst again. I suddenly felt a hand pat my head.

I jumped and shifted my view to who it was.

"Captain?"

I was about to stand but he motioned me to sit down. I hesitantly went back to sitting as he got to the ground and sat as well.

"This him?"

"Yeah."

"How?"

"Some sickness the doctor's knew nothing about."

Captain Levi nodded and proceeded to take his cravat off again. He extended his hand with the cravat in it.

"You're a mess. Use this."

I just stared at the fabric gently swaying with the wind. My shoulders slumped and I saw my vision getting clouded with tears again. I was startled when he took my wrist from the ground and placed his cravat onto my palm.

"Thank you..." His cravat smelled like lemon. And I think a slight amount of... windex?

It was all silence now. I did feel safer knowing I wasn't alone anymore.

"Can I ask a question?"

No answer. He did nod though, so I took that as a yes.

"Why are you here?" It felt weird to ask this but my stomach just couldn't take the uneasiness anymore. Why was my stomach uneasy? Did I really cry too much?

"It was supposed to be Hange. She said she needed to take care of some things so Erwin sent me instead."

"Oh..."

"My turn, what was in the closet?"

"My life's work."

He nodded once more and continued staring at Call's tombstone.

"You're talkative today. You barely say anything at the HQ." I wanted to continue the conversation. It was a nice feeling being able to talk to him like this. I guess his voice managed to rid off the stress I had earlier.

"I am. I'm quite the talkative person."

I giggled at his sentence. I saw him stare at me then back at Call.

"That's hard to believe. But okay. We should get going, shall we?"

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah..."

We made our way back to the horses. The sun would start setting in an hour or so.

Our horses walked with a slow pace going back to the HQ. I made sure that he was in front to lead but he always adjusted his pace so we would be side by side.

"Uhm, I'll return your cravat tomorrow, I have to wash it first. Is that okay, Captain?"

"Keep it. Don't waste your time laundering it."

I looked at him with a hint of shock on my face. But I was happy inside, though. I had a reminder of that little moment we shared with Call. I wrapped it on my neck and attempted to style it the way he did. I could feel his stare burning a whole into me as he watched me struggle.

After a few attempts I gave up and started to giggle at myself. Can't even tie a simple cravat.

I hadn't noticed that he was closer now. He held my reins and we both stopped.

He reached towards the piece of fabric on my neck and proceeded with styling it. I leaned in to make things easier for him.

"This is how you tie it, brat." Annoyance but amusement stained his voice.

Barely 15 seconds and he finished. I stared down and saw how perfectly it draped.

"Uh, thank you Captain Levi..."

Our horses started to move forward and the skies were turning orange and pink. We were only 20 minutes away from the HQ. 

"(Y/N)?"

"Yes, Captain?"

"Levi."

"Pardon?"

"Just call me Levi. When we're alone or with Hange and Erwin."

I would be lying if I say I didn't feel my face heat up. I immediately stared at the horse's mane as though it had valuable information about the titans.

"You got that, brat?"

I looked up and made contact with his gray eyes. Now I know why girls went gaga over this guy. You just can't escape it.

"I did, Capta-- Levi."

He let go of the brief contact and we slowly made our way inside the HQ.

Just in time for the sun to set.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> Wow. such a long chapter but I was in the mood to write.
> 
> It was also about time that reader and Levi shared a moment. I hope the transition was fine :3
> 
> Hoping you all enjoyed this and take care!
> 
> -KG :)


	12. Eavesdrop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You tweak Commander Erwin's blue prints..
> 
> -this is just a filler chapter :) to get my creative juices flowing again!  
hope it was aight!
> 
> -KG

I thought I would be able to get a good night's sleep, boy was I wrong.

All I could do was toss and turn, flip and fold my brain as to who could have gotten and knew about the contents in my closet.

If it was the Capocrimine, that would mean I trusted the wrong people. One of my trustees went behind my back and told him about the weapons. Or, by luck, some random person was able to enter my room, find the lever, and hit jackpot. Least likely scenario, but still possible.

Heck, anything was possible at this point.

There was probably nothing to worry about... For now. The Scouts had no poster relating to the weapons in search for the owner of the closet. If they did, they would've thrown me by now.

It had only been a few weeks after the Colossal Titan came back, so anything could happen. I could only grasp at whatever string of hope there was left.

Wait.

No. It's a bad idea.

I promised myself that I would never contact those people again. But, the trustees I had, they might be able to help. Making a mental note on this, I would have to go back to that place once again. Luckily I have a rest day coming up.

Still not being able to sleep, I decided to go to Hange's lab and work on the weapon Commander Erwin wanted done.

\- - 

I had not a clue as to what time it was but better spending it being productive.

Moblit was able to score us some graphite powder. How? I dunno.

I had never made wires before so I would have to go to where the 3DMG were being made. Despite it being top secret technology, Hange's name might make things easier for them to build a custom one.

Looking back at the blueprints, it would probably take 4 or 5 days till we could present something to Commander Erwin.

'Tsk, making things from scratch is a pain in the ass'

Looking at the corner, I saw the prototype.

It was basically a barrel with holes in it for the wires and arrows to come out. The material was wood and had an iron ring encasing it to seal everything. Not bad.

Examining the release, I noticed how it had only one lever in it.

I took out Hange's toolbox and began working.

This was somewhat similar to one of the weapons I had made. Adding 2 or 3 levers to adjust the recoil and speed was always a fun thing to add. This was a bit new since this was a literal barrel.

I sawed out 2 pathways for small switches to be inserted. Luckily since the wires weren't installed, it was easy to see if the additional levers worked. 

After a few hours, it was finally done. I was also able to adjust the platforms spring to make it faster even by just a few seconds. The switches word perfectly and all that was missing was the wires to fully test the new weapon.

Going back to where the graphite powder was stored, I carried it all the way to the table next to the prototype. It had been years since I last concocted shit. I could recall what was needed and how to make it but the measurements were a different story.

One of the components I wasn't too familiar with was graphite powder. I knew it was non-flammable at its current state but once I would start mixing them into batches, it would expose them more and a single spark would result in an explosion.

How fun!

I started working my way with small batches till there was enough graphene-steel solutions. The stench was quite strong. It had a metallic taste to it. My head was starting to throb but I still continued to push thru. Hard work paid off though, 10 graphene-steel solutions were now carefully sealed into beakers and placed into a box. I guess Hange would be the better person to negotiate with them.

Sitting behind my desk again, I stretched and realized that the sun was now rising. My blinks were now stingy. Letting out a sigh, I closed my eyes to give myself some sleep. I rested my head on my forearm which was now on the desk.

It felt like 5 minutes till I heard the lab door open. Too tired to even open my eyes, I kept them close but listened to my surroundings. Almost like a forced habit.

Humming was present. It was clearly Hange. There were other footsteps that followed.

"Looks like someone was busy last night..." Hange whispered.

"What the fuck is that smell, four-eyes?"

Ahh, I know that voice anywhere. Levi was here.

"Hmm... I'm not su--" She stopped mid-sentence and I heard her running now. I heard the glass beakers shaking as she took one of them into her hands. "It's graphene-steel solution. That's the smell."

"Hange, how are the preparations for the weapon?" Commander Erwin inquired.

"Well, now that the solutions have been made, all I have to now is to persuade the gear makers to produce some custom wires."

"I see you've made some changes as well to the design?"

"I didn--"

I knew she was now looking at me, but not for too long.

"I guess she changed the design. But, she is good at tweaking things, Erwin. It makes sense to add levers to be able to adjust the power of this thing. Should it deem necessary."

It was quiet now. I heard the barrel being moved a bit. They were probably examining it.

They exchanged a few comments here and there. All work related. It was getting boring that I could feel myself dozing off. Going with the flow, I finally relaxed my shoulders and felt myself fall into a deep sleep.

\- -

I woke up with an aching back. One of the good things about being in Squad Hange was that if I fell asleep, Hange would leave me be knowing that mental work was just as tiring as physical work.

My sight was still blurry due to my position. My stomach was grumbling by now. Luckily, someone had left a tray with bread, biscuit, soup, and tea. Thank you whoever you are.

I took big bites and devoured the food within 10 minutes. I placed the tray on the center table and cleared my own desk. The papers were getting out of hand and some arranging was due. After a few minutes, I made my way to the kitchen to wash and return the utensils.

By the time I reached the kitchen, it was empty. Everyone was probably training by now. I might as well catch up with them later.

Washing the bowl, I absentmindedly started to hum a random ass tune. The way I scrubbed, the bowl followed the rhythm.

"Include this, will you?"

I stopped humming and looked at the owner of the cup. He wasn't wearing his uniform today. I caught myself staring at the amount of skin his shirt showed. Blinking myself back, I nodded.

"Uh, yeah sure..."

"Good morning, brat."

"Good morning, Levi." Damn, it feels odd to say his name. But it was just the two of us, so why not?

It was just silence as I finished washing the remaining utensils. I took the opportunity to steal glances at him. He didn't return any of them but I was able to absorb all the features he had to offer.

"Did you sleep well?" Lame question but the awkwardness was killer.

"Yeah. How was your desk?"

"My back hurts."

"Sucks."

How in the world do you continue a conversation with this person?

"Are you gonna train or read shit?"

"I was thinking of training today, why do you ask?"

This time, he raises his glance. He had dark circles around his eyes, guess he didn't sleep too well after all. However, I could feel my heart beating a tad bit faster now.

"I'll accompany you, if you want." Levi offered.

"You don't have to, Levi. It's fine. I can just catch up with Eren and the others." I offered a polite smile but I was hoping that he'd force himself to train with me.

"Suit yourself."

With that he left the kitchen. Damn it.

Some unknown force pushed me to run and catch up to him. I poked his shoulder when finally caught up with him. He stopped walking and didn't bother looking my way.

"Is the offer still up?"

"Meet me in my office in 30 minutes."

Faster than a snap of a finger, I ran all the way back to my dormitory to get ready for training with Levi.

Was this the right choice? I don't know.

Was I doing it for the sake of training? I'm not sure.

What I was sure of was that I kept biting the insides of my cheeks to keep myself from smiling like an idiot while changing.


	13. Temporary Relief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Levi have a one on one training in his office but it wasn't what you expected.

Finally fastening the last buckle, I hurriedly made my way to Levi's office. It's been a while since I was this excited. It was hard to contain my thoughts as to what kind of moves he would teach or how he would correct my stances. But, it I still kept pinching myself as a reminder to level my breathing and contain the heat going up my cheeks.

Dang, why are my cheeks even heating up?

Upon arriving, I knocked thrice.

"Name and business."

"Cadet (L/N). You told you would accompany me in today's training, sir." Formalities, gotta love them.

Come to think of it, Hange did say something about opening doors. He doesn't just open them, not even for THE Commander Erwin. Nothing but the shuffling of papers could be heard from the other side. Then, footsteps were evident. He really was going to open the door.

And he did.

"Enter."

As expected, his office was immaculately clean. I heard the door closing and the latch locking.

I turned around to where he was standing. He made his way past me and sat back to his desk. Walking closer to his desk, my eyes couldn't help but stare at the neatly stacked papers he needed to fill up.

"So, uh, what should I do Captain?"

"See those stack of papers to your left? That's all yours to sign."

Looking at the stack of papers, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret being in the office. I let out a silent sigh and proceeded to work.

\- -

It was a silent morning. No small talks or anything. Just two people signing, reading, tossing, and the occasional 'tch' coming from Levi. I could feel my eyes starting to drop.

I came here for training with Humanities Strongest, not signing documents with a short captain.

As if things couldn't get anymore awkward, my stomach sang the song of its people.

"Sorry about that..."

"Take a break if you want. It's fine."

"No, it's fine. Signing papers is way more fun."

I couldn't help but be slightly amused at my own lame ass joke. Still, not a single emotion came to his face so it was a failed attempt.

As the hours went on again, each report was getting repetitive. I knew what to leave Levi to sign himself, what I can sign, what needed a proper reading, and what was just trash. Most of the reports were just single paged. It was nice looking at the different penmanship each person had.

Very uneventful until I took a thick report.

I started to feel a cold sweat forming on my nape.

'Redsummer Interrogation Report'

Why is this here? This shouldn't be on my stack.

I stole a glance at Levi but he himself was too busy with his own pile. Did he intentionally put it here? Crap, he was there at the cemetery. No, it's too random for it to be a pattern. I was thorough.

The report consisted only of sketches of what they had done to him and all of his belongings. I skimmed through the pages and saw that they had cut off both his index fingers. Smart move from those who punished him.

A sketch of his tattoo was also included in the report. He had somehow managed to design his own. Given the phrase, he managed to design it in a way where the words were not so visible. 'Dulce Periculum'.

Danger is sweet.

Indeed it is, Redsum.

I leaned on the couch and let out an audible exhale. My eyes still locked on the spread out report.

\- - -

{FLASH BACK}

"KS, hey, KS"

"What is it, Redsum?" I zoned out again.

"Do you see that merchant over there? I... We just got a mission that we need to get all of those food from his cart and hand it over to Capocrimine."

"And what of the merchant?"

"Dispose of him."

I looked at Redsummer. I could see his green eyes pained with every action we were doing, yet despite the pain, there was a hint of amusement. Looking over at the old merchant, I looked at the ground and held on tightly to the trigger.

"What? You being weak now, KS?"

"Shut it."

The rest was a blur. Redsummer cornered the merchant and I followed. We led him to an empty alley. I pointed my gun at his neck. It wasn't obvious to Redsummer, but I knew my trigger finger was shaking. I hated aiming at elderly people.

"Please, take what you all need. Just spare me, please. My family is waiting for me!"

Redsummer released him from his grip and made his way to the cart as if it were his.

"Name?"

"Thomas. Thomas Mino."

I softened my eyes up. He saw them too. I stole a look at Redsummer, he was still too busy minding his own business.

"I'm so sorry, Thomas. I have no other choice. I will personally look for your family and give them a share of whatever it is I make a living with..." It was barely a whisper. But, it was all I could do.

I stared at Thomas while he was bawling his eyes out. I couldn't dare look at him anymore. Heavy footsteps were drawing towards me.

"I got the shit. Finish him."

"Aight. I'll catch up with you."

Just as Redsummer was about to leave, he changed his mind.

"You hesitating?"

"No, I like taking my time with the elderly"

"Do it now."

"Like I said, I like taking my time."

"Bullshit. You soft now, Killshot?"

I transferred my stare at Redsummer. And immediately pulled the trigger. It was a silent shot. I used a new device I created that silenced my gun. Thomas was the person, who unfortunately, showed that it could indeed minus the volume of a Heckler MSG-90.

"About time..."

With that he turned around and left me. I looked at the crimson puddle forming. It had touched my boots. I felt a lump form in my throat.

I lifted Thomas and made him lean against the wall. I closed his eyes. The least I could do.

"I'll keep my word, Thomas Mino..."

\- - -

I felt a light kick on my left leg.

Great, I zoned out again. I've been doing that a lot these days...

The space beside me dipped and Levi sat beside me. A safe distance away but close enough by an elbows length. He threw me biscuits and placed tea on the table. Redsummer's report still open for him to see.

"Eat."

"I... I don't really feel like eating..." I was fidgeting with the biscuit.

"You've been zoning out a lot recently."

"Is it that obvious?"

"Only if you look..."

I stared at him and how he held his teacup in the weirdest way possible.

"Redsummer, huh?"

He took the report and flipped the pages lazily.

"I heard you and Commander took him into custody."

"For a while, yes."

"...For a while?"

"Bastard got away right beneath our noses."

I think my sudden inhale was a bit too loud since he lost focus on the report. It was on me now. He gently placed the report back to where he took it and shifted his position. His back was now leaning on the armrest, right arm relaxed on the back of the sofa. His torso was now conveniently facing me.

"You scared of Redsummer? He was a coward if you ask me."

'Hell yeah he was, but that's now what I'm scared of' I thought to myself. I wanted to tell him but who am I to tell him who I really was and all the shitty things I did.

I felt as if my hair was being played with. I looked and saw Levi twirling his fingers around a section of my hair.

"Yeah... I'm scared of Redsummer. I heard about the rumors of what he's done."

"The coward said he killed 387 people in his time with the Capocrimine."

"Holy shit, that's a lot of people..."

"He did give a name though..."

Still twirling strands of my hair, my eyes traveled all the way up his arm, to his shoulder, until I reached his eyes. His gray eyes could literally kill me but they showed softness today. Uncertainty was there as well.

"It's you isn't it?"

My eyes widened at his words. Still maintaining eye contact.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't act dumb. Answer my question." There was something different about that tone. It was almost as if there was hope that he wouldn't be getting the answers he had already found.

I could feel it happening again. Me closing myself from any form of contact. I let go of his gray eyes. My vision was getting cloudy again. I bit the inside of my lip. My guard was breaking and I would probably break down once again if I don't get a hold of myself.

"Kill. Shot."

Hearing him say it sent a tidal wave of venom through my veins. I let out a deep breath and closed my eyes. I didn't care about the tears falling anymore. If this was it, this really was it.

"I-I-I'm sorry" That's all I could say. By the time the words came out of my mouth, I began hyperventilating as more tears came out.

Levi had stopped twirling my hair. I couldn't dare look at him now that I knew that he knew who I really was. 

I flinched a bit upon hearing the sofa. I knew punishment would come, but not this soon. Was this going to be a slap? Or a punch on the nose? Whatever it was, I would accept it.

Instead, I felt arms wrap around my shoulder and I was brought into a tight embrace.

I don't know what got into me but I desperately wrapped my arms around his waist and sobbed even louder. 

Finally letting go of all the burdens i carried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -  
Sooo... I'm back and this chapter is a mess!
> 
> I would like to thank you all for actually taking the time to read my story :) It means a lot to me...
> 
> till next time,
> 
> -KG


	14. Roller-coaster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Levi have a 'moment'.

After a good many minutes of crying, I finally calmed down.

My shoulders felt as if a tremendous weight was taken from them. I've never felt better. But, it was too good. Surely the guilt would seep in and eat me up again.

Drowsiness was starting to take over. I shifted my position. I felt arms adjust themselves till I stopped fidgeting and melted once more in those same arms.

Hold up...

I swear if my eyes could open up any wider, they would. Luckily my mind wasn't as foggy as it was.

I let out another sigh as I wrapped my arms tighter around his waist. He had somehow managed to make us lye down on the sofa in such a way that he was still leaning on the arm rest but my body was resting on him. His legs were intertwined with mine. Twas comfortable to be honest. The way I could hear his heart beating was calming.

Good things must come to an end though, as much as I enjoyed this moment, he probably didn't.

"Uh... Captain?"

"What?"

"Y-y-you can let go now...?"

Taken by surprise, which was both of us now with how he reacted, he loosened his grip on me.

"Are you okay, now?"

"Y-yeah... Thank you, Captain..." Damn it. I can't even say his name.

"What did I tell you?"

"If we're alone, I'll call you Levi."

He untangled himself from me (which I somehow wish he didn't) and sat back up again. 

"Can we play the questions game?"

He said nothing. He knew what I meant. I took it as a yes.

"How did you--"

"It doesn't matter. But if it calms you, I figured it out after I went to get you at the cemetery."

I felt my heart sink. All it took was a good look at the names. People barely went to that particular cemetery, I guess me frequently visiting the area and leaving flowers was a bad idea after all. Trying to hold back tears was of no use now, I felt them escaping my eyes.

"Why? And most importantly, how? I'm guessing one flower equals to one kill, right? There were a shit ton of flowers, (Y/N)." His voice gave a trace of pain in them.

"Is too late to get that hug back?" I sniffled out a response. My mind was blank now. Staring at the floor, I started fidgeting with the biscuit again. "I'm sorry but I can't tell you how unless you're specific with one person."

He started twirling my hair again. It was a weird gesture but it relaxed me.

"You remember everything?"

"Every god damn person."

Those last words came out as a whisper.

The twirling had stopped and my view turned into a blur. I felt my body being pulled down and wrapped once more. In less then a few seconds, I was inhaling his scent once more. Ever since the cravat incident, I've grown fond of Levi. Being in this state might only come once, so might as well get the most of it.

"Who is Killshot?"

"Me."

"Brat, you know what I mean." He started playing with my hair. Does he have a thing for hair?

"A monster." Letting out a sigh again. "When I noticed that Call was starting to become weaker and weaker, I couldn't afford his meds anymore. I had sold all our horses and even then, it still wasn't enough. One day, this random ass person offered me a deal. Follow instructions and Call would be saved."

"Were you that dumb?"

I hit his chest with my head. He winced in pain a bit. That made me happy. He was right though.

"Jeez, if you silently agree, no need to hit me. Fucking brat."

That was enough. This moment is enough.

"Thanks, Levi. But, I still can't say everything you want me to say. I gotta go. Hange might be looking for me."

Propping my elbows on the sofa to lift myself, Levi decides to wrap his arms tighter causing me fall back onto his chest. There, I could feel my cheeks heat up again. My heartbeat was probably skyrocketing and I'm sure as hell he himself can feel it.

"L-Levi?"

"Have you killed within the last 2 years?"

"Wh--, NO. I stopped and dropped everything a week before Call died. Why? What are you going to do?"

I felt myself shaking again. My breathing getting uneven. 

"If I gave you a gun, would you still feel the urge to kill?"

"Oi, what are you talking about?? Levi, I would never!"

His embrace was getting tighter. Hell, this wasn't an embrace anymore. I guess this moment really meant nothing after all. Why did I even bother expecting?

"What was in your closet that we had to ride all the way there?"

"My guns. All my g-guns."

"How many?"

"Ahh-- s-s-seven all i-in all"

"Where are they now?"

"I d-d-don't know" More tears were pouring down. I could feel pain in my ribs again. "Stop! It hurts!"

He finally loosened his grip giving me back oxygen. I pushed myself away from him. Tears stained his shirt. I held on to my side, I glanced at my palm and it really was bleeding a little. I deserve all this. Looking at Levi, his eyes were stone cold. I couldn't read any slight emotion being shown.

Before I could stand up and make my way, his hands made their way up my cheek.

BOY, fucking hell what do you want? I'm so confused!

"How do I know that you won't do those anymore?"

"What else do I have to do Captain Levi? I haven't pulled a trigger in years before the Colossal Titan came back. Yes, the instincts are still there but I used them to live on by myself when Call died. I had nothing when I lost him except those same instincts that got me food and shelter! Judge me all you want, Captain. But I'd be telling a lie if all those lives I took didn't cause me sleepless nights."

"Why don't you just let it go?"

"I would never. I can't and I won't. I ruined them. There was a time where I actually lost myself and enjoyed it. That's why I prefer living with the burden. It's the least I can do for myself and for all three hundred fucking eighty-seven people whose lives were wasted because of me."

"You made a choice."

"Yeah. And it was a shitty choice. My emotions clouded all elements of judgement."

Levi just sighed. He still held my cheeks on his hand. It felt as if he were holding something fragile and that if he would let go, it would shatter to a million tiny pieces. I would.

"Brat."

"Captain."

"Stable duty for a month and after, clean my office. You made a mess. You are dismissed."

I scoffed. But, I couldn't help but laugh at his remark. We both sat up and fixed ourselves. I wiped away whatever remnants of tears were in my face.

Before I head out the door, I turned back and faced Levi. He was busy reading some paper work. I ruffled his hair and that caught him by surprise, once again.

"You're a dick. But thank you. I'll see you tomorrow with the best windex I can find!"

All I got was a 'tch' but with a small smirk. With that, I happily escorted myself out of the office and headed back to Hange's lab.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - - 
> 
> A whole chapter dedicated to reader-chan and Levi :) Just wanted ya'll to ride a rollercoaster for a bit :3
> 
> Hope this was fine! More things to come in the next chapters.
> 
> Till next time,
> 
> -KG


	15. Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hange and you try out the new weapon and find out what Erwin plans to do.

"Yo! (Y/N)!"

"Yes, Hange?"

"Are you ready to test out the new weapon? Also, good job in remodeling some of it's functions." She said while carrying a fully functional prototype.

"How exactly are we going to test it out?"

Hange smiled that smile of hers and dragged me all the way to the back of the HQ. Turns out she made wooden titans that were mobile. How it would equate for a real titan, would only mean paper work for both of us. Still, it would be nice to see if we could still make a few changes to the barrel or not.

She carefully placed the barrel and went on to the wooden titan to turn on its mobility. I rechecked the wires and the screws. The graphene-steel cables were mesmerizing to look at. They were a mix of black and silver that showed our reflection on its wires. The levers would have to be activated first before we could verify if it works or not.

With the wooden titans now moving, Hange set the lever on backwards that way the wires would be tested.

I gave her the privilege to release pull the small lever.

BANG!

Holy walls, that was fucking loud! Sparks flew as the wires were being ejected. The barrel seemed to be shaking a lot but the speed and accuracy of the wires were yet to be observed.

Once the smoke cleared out, the test dummy was now immobile, given that some wires broke through the wood.

"(Y/N)!! It worked!!"

"Try to make it move again Hange!"

"Roger that!!"

She maneuvered her way to the titan's mechanism and shifted the lever to make it a level stronger. The barrel still stayed in place but the wooden titan still tried to keep moving forward. After a few minutes, smoke started to come out of its lever. Hange immediately kicked it broken.

"Well, now that we know it works," She was walking towards me with the most satisfied smile a crazy scientist could have. "We should head over to Erwin's office. He wants to see us both regarding the next expedition. It's happening soon, (Y/N)."

"Are we going to get you some titan babies?"

"OOH! That's a good idea! I was hoping that along the way, we could catch some more that way Sawney and Bean will have more companions!"

"Who? Wait, you named the titans? Hange..."

"You weren't around when we had the naming ceremony! Can't blame me!"

"Fine... so what do we do with this junk?"

"Let's assign a cadet to keep it for us."

We found Jean and he agreed to clean up the mess Hange and I made. When he asked what it was, we simply told him that we were bored and decided to play with some left over materials. Since I was with the crazy titan lady, Jean immediately believed it.

\- -

Inside Commander Erwin's office, we were met by Levi. This must be quite confidential knowing there were only 4 of us in the room.

We gathered front and center waiting for Commander Erwin's instructions.

"How are preparations going, Hange?" Commander Erwin asked as he was still shuffling through some papers. His eyes glued to them.

"We tested it out on a wooden titan and it broke the lever mechanism. I can assume it would work perfectly on an 8-meter titan."

"Success rate for a 15-meter titan? How high?"

Hange looked at me, I couldn't give her an answer as both of us were clueless if it could work on something as big as Titan Eren.

"Well... If the numbers are right, it might work but we can't guarantee that it'll hold." I added.

"I see. If you would kindly change the numbers using Eren's strength, how many barrels do we need?"

I furrowed my brows and sat myself down while making the necessary computations. Hange sat beside me and did her own as well. We made it a rule that if our separate calculations and assumptions match, then it usually was fool-proof. If there was a big difference then we would scratch the idea away.

Calculating Eren's strength was always tricky knowing that he still couldn't control it well and Hange wasn't able to conduct her experiments yet. We silently agreed that we would combine the average strength of 2 8-meter titans. It was a safe number but unsettling on our end. 

"We don't have and can't provide any exact number due to lack of data but if we want another 15-meter titan, we would probably need around 20 or 30 more barrels. Increase the number of rods as well to ensure immobility." I finally spoke up. Not giving Commander Erwin eye contact. I was still doing mental calculations while speaking.

"How many days does it take to produce a barrel?"

"1 barrel takes around 4 hours to make. It's only the wires that take time." Hange responded. Even she was still making mental calculations. 

"You are to depart tomorrow, Hange. Have them make 30 more. Look for Gabriel Fiske. Tell him I sent for you."

"Copy."

I assisted Hange as we gathered our papers with calculations. She looked troubled yet excited at the same time.

"Erwin, what exactly is your plan?"

This time, Commander Erwin raises his eyes and stares at Hange. Setting his paper down, he crossed his arms over his chest and looked out the window.

"When we discovered that Eren was a titan shifter, we singled in the possibility that there are others like him."

"We received a report regarding a similar sized titan a few weeks ago." Levi added.

"A second titan shifter?!" Hange screamed and it was evident that her mind was racing with all the endless experiment possibilities.

"I think you'd enjoy this, Hange. Should our plan succeed, we will be able to get our hands on the female titan."

"The what?" Hange and I reacted at the same time.

Commander Erwin nodded. He took out the report and handed it to us.

"Which brings us into our formation. Hange, you and your squad, accompanied by a few select soldiers will head out first."

My gaze went back to Commander Erwin. The fact that we would be heading far out into the open fields was worrisome. I stole a look at Levi. Our glances met and he gave me a reassuring nod.

"You will travel by night a day before the start of the expedition."

He gave handed us another piece of paper. It was a map that showed us where he intended to capture the female titan. It was deep within the forest of giant trees. I stared at my squad leader, she stared back at me too. We nodded and stared back at Erwin and gave him a firm salute.

"Understood."

"And one more thing... You are not to disclose any information as to where your whereabouts are to the others."

Both of us nodded and proceeded to exit the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -  
There you have it!
> 
> How's the story so far? I hope it's to your likings! I really appreciate the reads you have been giving me :)
> 
> Till next time!
> 
> -KG


	16. Demands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a tiring day, Levi decides to give you a command.

A couple of days have passed.

Hange took Moblit to the weaponry to have them make more barrels.

I can still remember how Hange looked as we finalized and redrafted the blueprints till Commander Erwin deemed them fit to his standards. We had barely eaten anything and we even had to 'kidnap' Eren to know, or at least, estimate how much strength he has as a titan. A few cuts and scratches were given to both Hange and I, but nothing we couldn't handle.

Inside Hange's lab, Eren and I had to continue on with the experiments.

"You have no idea what you're doing, do you?"

By now, my (h/c) hair was a mess. Bags were present under my eyes. Looking at Eren, he too looked tired and drained. We had just finished conducting 4 experiments. Together, we slumped our shoulders.

"Damn Hange."

"Let's call it a day, (Y/N)?"

"I'll gladly accept that offer..."

Eren and I cleaned up all the papers and trash inside the office. It didn't take much effort but the two of us could feel the strain with each step we took. We had started in the early morning, we stopped at late afternoon. The thought of my bed was paradise till I realized I still had other matters to attend to. Cleaning matters, that is.

"Ah, shit..." I couldn't help but say it. Today was a long day.

"What's wrong?"

"I still have to clean up shit for shortstack."

"Yeah, about that. What happened? You're in Hange's squad... Why do you have to clean?"

It was a long story but one that Eren didn't have to know. Seeing that my shoulders visibly slumped, he gave a small smile and assured that the remaining days of having to clean would fly by fast.

After cleaning up Hange's office, I made my way to my room and took out the bottle of bleach I set aside. Why did I set aside bleach? Who knows...

\- -

Knock. Knock. Knock.

My eyes were quite drowsy from the long day I had with Eren. I usually took naps in between but since Hange set up a deadline, we had to move things at a much faster pace. And the fact that she even made a deadline was enough to make us work harder than usual.

"Name and business."

I opened my eyes. Guess I closed them a bit too long. I stifled a yawn and stretched as I introduced myself.

"You'd probably guess who goes to your office at this time, right? It's cadet (L/N)."

"Come in..."

Hmm. He didn't open the door today. It felt weird for him not to open the door seeing that he's been doing that whenever I visit his office. Perhaps he was busy today. Who isn't though? With the upcoming expedition, Commander Erwin probably flooded him with paperwork.

Opening and letting myself inside the office, Captain Levi was there. Tending to 5 stacks of paperwork. The bags on his eyes seemed darker today. Had he been getting enough sleep? Or did he do paperwork while he slept? Most likely the latter, knowing him.

"So, where should I start today, Levi?"

There was a pause.

"For today, no cleaning..."

Oh thank the walls.

"Instead, you'll help me with the paperwork."

"Do you want some tea? I can make you some."

"Help yourself."

I went over to the small space in his office where he placed his collection of tea. It was hard to decide at first. Seeing how stress he's been, chamomile tea would be the best option. Taking two tea cups and placing them gently on the counter, I couldn't help but think of other ways to make him feel more relaxed. An idea hit me but it might get me in trouble. It would still be worth a shot but, hey, risk taker.

Once the tea was done, I placed it on the center table. We had agreed that we would work side by side for this one knowing the papers had been messed up in the process. Not even glancing up, he continued on with his work. I sat beside him and yes, I felt like my cheeks were heating up.

The paper work started. It was tedious at first and confusing. Slowly, I got the hang of it again.

A few hours had passed. My eyes were now giving way. Each blink had a stinging sensation and I could feel my head falling every now and then, of course shaking it off helped but only for a few minutes. I stared at Levi and he too would close his eyes from time to time.

Seeing him sleep was indeed a sight to remember. Even in his sleep, he looked stress. His steady breathing pace was very hypnotizing. Each little dip his head would make to prevent it from falling was, admittedly, cute.

"Staring at people isn't healthy."

Oh shit. I looked away and tried to salvage whatever dignity I had left.

Levi opened his eyes and stretched. He folded his legs and extended his arms on the ledge of the sofa. If I would lean on the sofa, that would mean his arms would be somewhat wrapped around me.

"I don't mind though..." It was barely audible but I heard it.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Hey, uh, you seem to be really stressed these days and I kinda found a way to relax your nerves. Because you know, I do lots of research and shit..."

He looked at me with his gray eyes. I tried my best not to make my inhale to obvious. I knew my efforts were a fail when I felt my cheeks were heating up even more.

"So, uhh, it goes like this... Can I, uh, can I have your hand?"

Levi furrowed his brow and hesitantly gave it to me. I gently accepted it. My heart was racing by now. His hands were cold and calloused but his skin was gentle to the touch. I positioned my fingers in a way where I could easily massage his palm. The sensation visibly made him uncomfortable but he soon relaxed and eventually closed his eyes.

It was an enjoyable sight, being able to make Humanities Strongest relax. Knowing that he would play an important part in the upcoming expedition took a lot on him, this small moment of relaxation must mean a lot to him, hopefully.

I let a small smile escape from my mouth. Just in time, he opened his eyes. That took my by surprise. My heart started pumping again and I stared intently at his palms once more.

"Tch, oy brat."

"Mhmm?"

"About what happened a few days ago, just wanted to say sorry."

He glanced at my side and a wince came to his face. Luckily, the wound opened only slightly. It was feeling better now but if I moved too much, the pain would return.

"It's fine. I understood why you did it." I'm used to it too. 

"How's the wound?"

Because I was feeling quite awake, I decided to act a little playful.

"Oh, it hurts a lot. Like, A LOT!" I gave a small pout and tried containing a giggle. Still, I couldn't help but smile.

"I'm serious."

"When were you never serious, Captain?"

He let out a sigh. He leaned towards my torso and poked my side.

"Ah! What the heck?!" That was both ticklish and a bit painful at the same time.

For once, he let out a smirk. I caught myself inhaling once more and stared at my hands. I forgot that I was still holding his. If a mirror was present, I bet I'd be redder than a tomato. I let go of his hand, that seemed to surprise him. He shot me a look of disapproval. It was quick and disappeared within a few seconds.

Clearing my throat, I went back to filling up some paper work.

"W-who said you could let go?"

My head snapped to stare at him once more. Shortstack just stuttered.

"Massage."

My mind went blank and i wasn't sure what to do. I looked at his extended hand, waiting to be accepted.

"I said massage, did you not hear me, brat?"

Going back to my senses, I took his hand back and began massaging.

Eventually, he seemed to have fell into sleep.

Letting go of his hand when he seemed to be fast asleep, I decided to continue his paper work. As always, I categorized the papers and threw the necessary trash. 

Before I knew it, fatigue got the best of me and I, too, fell in a deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -  
After a quite some time, I was finally able to update again :)
> 
> ya girl has to have some rest time! recently i've been watching bleach and boy oh boy, you cant help but like hitsugaya all over again :) im thinking of making a fanfic about the short captain as well xD
> 
> anyway~ hope you all liked the small fluff in this chapter :)
> 
> -KG


	17. Hush Messages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Squad Hange heads out to the Forest of Giant Trees.

**(3rd Person Point of View)**

You woke up from a very deep slumber. Blinking yourself awake, you stretched out and adjusted the scouts cloak wrapped around you. Letting out a silent yawn, you turned sideways. It was always a good feeling to be able to sleep after a long day of experimenting and calculating.

Before drifting back to sleep, your eyes shot open.

"Hold up... I was not wearing a cloak tod--"

Then it hit you. Everything that had happened within the last few hours. How you ended up massaging Levi's hand, the way he fell asleep, how he forced you to massage his palm again, and the way you were blushing like mad when he told you he wanted you to continue. You felt embarrassment creep up on you.

'I held his hand. Ah shit.'

"You awake?"

Your thought were cut. Had he been there all along? Thinking it was not the best to answer, you remained silent. His footsteps were now echoing on the wooden floor. Making his way towards you, you forcefully kept your eyes close. A futile attempt to stop the heat rising to your cheeks.

"Get up. Go to your dorm. I don't want people to get the wrong impression."

Pulling his cloak away from you made you flinch.

"Sorry." You sat up and fixed your hair. "I didn't notice I fell asleep..."

Standing up and getting your pile of papers, you made your way out. Before exiting, you stole one last glance at the captain. His eyes met with yours.

"Goodnight, Levi." Giving him a small but genuine smile. With that, you stepped outside and closed the doors.

"Goodnight, (Y/N)..." Captain Levi whispered to himself as he watched you close his doors. 

\- -

The dreaded day had come where Squad Hange would make their way to the forest of giant trees. A carriage was ready with all the barrels needed to secure the female titan. Select soldiers were tending to their horses and 3DMG.

You looked up at the night sky. There was no moon. The torches eliminated any sign of stars. Your horse nudged your thoughts away. Patting it's neck, you reached in your pocket a carrot you had stolen and fed it to him/her.

"Yo, are you ready to head out?" Hange arrived with Moblit who seemed to be rechecking things.

"Yeah... Just a little nervous that's all. I've never really traveled by night."

"You'll do good (Y/N). Just stick with the plan." Moblit raised his head and gave you one of your favorite smiles to see. Hange and him walked away leaving you alone once more.

Letting out a nervous sigh, you straddled yourself up to (h/n) and made your way to Hange in the front line.

Hange was giving a small pep talk and last instructions when Commander Erwin and Captain Levi arrived. Some soldiers gasped at the sight. It was their first time to see legends up close and personal. Knowing that words of wisdom always went out of their mouths, everyone was all ears and eyes on them.

"Soldiers, tonight you will be traveling to the forest of giant trees. Remain cautious at all times. Trust Squad Leader Hange with all you have. We will follow you soon." Commander Erwin gave a strong salute to his soldiers. Everyone replied back. 

"Hange, a word before you leave..."

Hange got off her horse and proceeded to walk with the commander.

You, on the other hand, were a shaking mess. Your thoughts were everywhere. Despite all the mental training, killing of titans, and the adrenaline administered in your body, you still felt nervous with the outcome. Many peoples lives were at stake and you couldn't help but feel that this was all a gamble.

Trying to balance your breathing, you unconsciously tapped your index finger on your thigh. It was a habit that only came when you were nervous.

"Oi."

Looking down, you saw an even smaller Captain Levi. The sight amused you. Smiling softly, you relaxed a bit.

"You're smaller from up here..."

He simply rolled his eyes.

"You okay?"

"Maybe... Who's ever ready when it comes to this?"

Captain Levi reached his hand and petted the neck of your horse. Slowly it found its way to your shaking hands. Your eyes widened with surprise and you felt heat in your cheeks. Grasping your hand tighter now, he pulled you in such a way that you were now balancing yourself as not to fall over your horse. His face a mere few inches away.

'What the heck is he doing?' That's all you could say in your mind. His actions were weird knowing he's usually bland.

"Don't die on me, (Y/N)..." It was barely audible but you heard it right.

'Holy motherf--'

Your thoughts were cut once again as he pushed you away to sit down properly on your horse. You forced yourself to get a hold of yourself. Was he drunk or shit? Constipated maybe? Those were the only words he said before turning his back and went back towards his commander.

'Okay (Y/N), looks like you have a reason to come home after all...' You mentally made a note to yourself.

Being consumed in your thoughts, you hadn't noticed that Hange had returned and stationed herself beside you. 

"Everything okay~ (Y/N)?" She wore a very mischievous grin on her face. Almost as if she saw everything that had just happened. "I told you he doesn't just open doors!"

"H-Hange! It's not like that!"

"I didn't say anything but I'll see it the way I see it!" She giggled and pulled her reigns to make her horse move forward.

Everyone was now in their final positions. No one was sending you off at this time of night. Most of your batch mates were in the HQ still preparing for the upcoming expedition that they had no idea was actually meant for something else.

The gates were now opening and each horse was eager to go out and run at full speed. You gripped yours even tighter.

'This is it, Call... Wish me luck... And let me come home.'

"LET'S GO EVERYONE!"

Hange screamed at the top of her lungs. Everyone kicked and pulled on their reigns. The horses were now running at full force. Each soldier keeping their distances and maintaining focus. With the ice cold night winds blowing through your hair, you felt more energized.

A few years ago, your life was heading no where. You were nothing but a killer. But now, you had a shot at redemption. You fixed your gaze on the dark horizon and felt determined that Squad Hange will be able to reach the forest without any interruption whatsoever.

However, because of your paranoia with the expedition, you kept something hidden from the others. You could feel its presence. Before leaving the lab, you had made yourself a small makeshift pistol that had customized bullets. You vowed not to use it but should the situation arise, hesitation would not be an option.

The stars were visible now. It was an amazing sight. Endless black horizon with thousand bright glittering dots. Hange seemed to be absorbing all its wonders too.

Letting out an exhale, you felt much better and way more confident.

With the words running through your head: 'Don't die on me, (Y/N)'.

'You bet your ass I won't'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -  
There you go :) Just another filler chapter..
> 
> I promise to give you all more action in the next few chapters <3
> 
> And thank you for 400 hits :) Have a nice day everyone!
> 
> -KG


	18. Chaos of the Female Titan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You finally meet the female titan.

The night was still young. Glancing at over your shoulders, the walls were out of sight. Everything felt much more free now that you were out in the open fields. The moon showed itself and showered each and every soldier a hue of silver. So far, not a single titan was present and that was definitely good news.

The flare system was being used. Not a single one was shot. The only sounds you could here were the trotting of hooves on the ground and the barrels shaking from the carriage.

"Moblit! How far till we reach ground zero?"

"Estimated 5 kilometers, Squad Leader!"

5 kilometers. A lot could happen within that frame of distance. Those who were within hearing range tensed up. Jaws tightened and reigns were gripped even tighter.

"Calm down everyone! It's night! Titans need sunlight to function. We'll make it! Be prepared if all else fails."

"Roger, Squad Leader!"

Everyone shouted in unison and kicked their horses to make travel time shorter.

Once the 5 kilometer mark was reached, all horses were made to halt.

There was a run down guard post on the entrance and a trail that led deep into the forest. Despite the moonlight, the trail led to nothing but darkness. There was no sign of any soldier or titan in the vicinity. Once Hange deemed it safe to proceed, all soldiers moved forward with utmost caution.

"Did you know that this used to be a spot where people could look at titans peacefully?" Moblit suddenly commented to break the ice.

"For real? Who would want to do that?"

"He's right, (Y/N). When people saw that titans didn't move at night, this place became a haven for daredevils. Sure some of 'em never made it out but it was probably because of some other reasons."

"Do you think titans can mutate and harness power from the moon?"

That came out of your mouth way too soon. You bit your tongue and cursed yourself for asking questions like those. It was fine if it were just you and Hange, but not everyone understood the way you looked at titans.

Looking at Hange, her glasses reflected the moon and made them glow.

"Who knows... Maybe some are already running around and eyeing us at this very moment."

All together, everyone's eyes scanned the darkness engulfing them. The only source of light were your torches. Due to the size of the trunks, you could barely see anything more than 3 trunks deep. 

"Fucking big ass trees..." You couldn't help but mumble to yourself.

Hange and Moblit stared at you and let out a soft giggle.

The squad was now deep in the woods. The wind whispered to the trees as each horse moved forward.

"I see something. Up ahead." A member of the 4th squad, Abel commented.

Squinting your eyes, you saw another wooden outpost. It was still in rundown shape when it was now clear for all to see. Hange had been looking at the map given to her and she gave all the soldiers a nod. This was the area you would set up the trap.

After everyone finished securing their horses to trees that were near the outpost, a fire was built and everyone made themselves comfy. Rations were being handed.

You didn't feel like eating but you knew you had to. With biscuits and water, this would have to do. You longed for that liquid you called soup that was being served in the HQ.

Tomorrow would be a long day. Your eyes started to fall from the long ride. Standing up, you looked for the nearest trunk and made yourself fall into a deep slumber.

\- -

((Y/N) Point of View)

The breeze from last night was really good. The trees made everything better. Despite I fell asleep almost instantly, I made sure that I would still be aware as to what was happening in my surroundings. Everything was dead silent. Occasionally, snores would break the silence but other than that, it was all peaceful, at least to an extent.

Opening my eyes, the area around me now had orange and pink hues. The sun was now rising. Hange was awake along with Moblit. A few other soldiers were arranging the barrels for us to start placing them in their positions. 

"Good morning, (Y/N)!"

"Good morning to you too, Hange... Today's the day, huh?"

She nodded enthusiastically. Seeing that all the barrels were now at our disposal, she jumped up and down and gave us the signal to get to work. Standing up and still a little groggy, I stretched to wake myself up and proceeded to pick up a barrel and zip my way up to a tree.

There were 4 rows circulating the area where Commander Erwin planned them to be. Rows 1 and 3 were 4 meters from each other, while rows 2 and 4 were 3 meters from each other. Making sure that they were steady on the branches were a challenge knowing we never really tested them on trees. But luckily, the trees here were giant so it would probably be all right.

Everything was now in place. Hange assigned me to take command of row 4. The highest of them all. That would mean my aim should be targeted at her eyes and shoulders. All we had was a simple diagram and calculations to help us out.

Preparations were now complete. The nerve wrecking part was now about to begin.

The waiting.

\- -

It would be an understatement if I told you that each soldier did not feel a bit nervous. It was still silent. Not a single flare gun could be heard. Galloping sounds were non-existent. There were a few titans here and there but nothing to hard to handle.

While waiting for Commander Erwin and the rest of the Survey Corps to arrive, I couldn't help but let my mind wander to a thought I had pushed to the side.

'Where are my toys? Who could've taken them?'

Freaking mind so useless... I barely told anyone about that closet. Redsummer would be a good candidate to contact but he hates me.

What about the others? Nah. Impossible. If I managed to erase a portion of my records, they can do the same too.

When is my day off again? Ah yes... Once the expedition finishes, we get to have a short break to recover. Might as well take advantage of that and go to Mitras.

My thoughts were cut when I heard the echoes of a flare gun. Holy shit this is it.

"Troops, stay alert and pull on my command."

"Roger!"

Looking at the area, I saw Hange and Moblit on row 3, across mine. Nifa and Abel took command of row 2. Harold and Rashad took the 1st row.

In the distance, I could here Eren scream. Guess he was given another speech.

It started to hit me that aside from the hooves making contact with the trail, loud thuds could be heard. Almost in a rhythmic pattern. Was that the female titan? I could feel my hands shaking again. Looking at the soldiers with me, they too started to sweat. It would be their first time seeing titans. I can't imagine what they'd feel once they see that it's a female titan.

The thuds were getting louder and louder. Despite the size of the trees, the shaking could still be felt.

Eren's tantrums getting louder and louder.

Glancing back at Hange's direction, Commander Erwin was now with her. His sky blue eyes looking as determined as ever. Giving each of us a nod, we awaited for his signal.

Despite all the rhythmic thuds, Eren's loud voice, and hooves making contact with the ground, everything went silent. My selective hearing was on again. It's been a while to the point that I didn't notice I was using it. My ears were awaiting for one order. And that would be from Commander Erwin.

BANG!

There. The accoustic flare. Approximately 50 seconds till we release.

Squad Levi came dashing through the main area. My eyes were glued to the captain riding a stunning black horse. I blinked once and then the command came.

"RELEASE!" Holy shit. Commander Erwin finally broke the silence.

"FIRE!" All of Squad Hange fired simultaneously.

With an incredible bang, a thousand sparks had ignited from the force of the wires. The barrels were shaking violently but still held their grounds. The soldiers kept their eye on the female titan while I kept mine on the barrels making sure they were secure and functioning. 

The wires made long zipping sounds till the female titan let out a loud scream.

Now that all wires were fully attached to the female titan. I carefully checked each screw and bolt that was within my responsibility. Everything was doing well. I removed my gaze from the barrels and looked at the female titan straight in the eye. A graphene bar had hit her eye.

Where have I seen those eyes before... I couldn't help but feel as if the female titan were familiar. Like, I've seen those features before.

My thoughts were cut when Captain Levi landed on her head. His voice was low but the intent was clear. The female titans pupils shook with fear upon hearing what the captain had said. He was getting much angrier now to the point where he started stomping his foot.

I stifled a quiet giggle. Not the appropriate time but he looked amusing with what he was doing.

"Good job, guys." I had to praise the new soldiers for being so quick in pulling the levers.

I did, however, speak to soon.

My ears started ringing with pain. The scream of the female titan was definitely deafening. Being so close to her indeed had it's set back.

There was silence once again. Looking at Commander Erwin's side, Mike had arrived. His voice was a bit muffled to my hearing but I grasped it enough.

"Titans are approaching!"

Shit. 

"Troops, blades out. Now."

They immediately followed as told. We could hear them approaching from the east. They were heading straight to where we were. Again, we awaited for the signal on what to do next.

If things couldn't get any weirder, the titans seemed to have a different agenda.

It was a horrible sight to look at, the titans went straight and started eating the female titan. 

Commander Erwin gave us an order to attack but immediately called it off once he realized what was happening. His eyes were fixed on the giant mess of titan meat and steam. I could see that his gears were still ticking. Captain Levi zipped his way and posted himself on a tree next to the commander. Lip reading was never my best forte but I understood that he instructed the captain to refill his gas.

Hange appeared and instructed us to abandon the barrels and gather up our horses. We would finally head back to the safety of the walls. Everyone followed shortly.

\- -

I wasn't so sure as to what happened next since everything was just fucked up chaos. Last thing I saw was Mikasa zipping her way past me. Eren probably got kidnapped with the way her eyes looked. It was none of my business though, soldiers were looking up to me in order to get the hell back into the walls.

Finally exiting the forest, we met up with the rest.

My heart immediately ached at the sight of dead bodies being accounted for.

I approached Jean who was visibly shaken with everything that had happened. Armin was with him as well. He looked even worse. They were staking up the bodies they had recovered. There were a lot this time. The commander wasn't joking when he told us that 70% might not make it back.

"This is the part I can't get used to..." Jean silently complained as he helped Armin lift a wrapped carcas.

"No one can get used to this... You'd have to be a monster too..." That was all I could say. I'm not sure if any encouraging words were useful.

Looking at the soldiers around me was just depressing. Captain Levi was attending to a wrapped up corpse as well.

"Jean, who are those?"

He stared and let out a sigh.

"Captain's squad was wiped out by the female titan..." He whispered to my ear as he went back to Armin.

Holy crap.

I was about to approach him but the commander told us to head back to the walls.

Of course more trouble found its way to us when two newbies decided to go back to the forest to try and get the body of their friend. They bought along other titans to chase us.

The closest titan was now starting to catch up with carriage. One of the worst orders I could ever hear was given.

"Throw some of the bodies..."

"We c-c-can't..."

"It's either that or the titan will catch up with you!"

My focus was with the group and Levi as he gave the orders. I caught a glimpse of one of the bodies revealed an orange haired female.

'Petra...'

All of a sudden, a sharp pain hit my abdomen.

"What the fuck?..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -  
What do you think happened to reader-chan? :)
> 
> This was a challenging yet fun chapter to make hihi hope you all are still intrigued and again, thank you for taking the time to read <3
> 
> -KG


	19. Pain and Relief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You extract a bullet and some feelings as well.

**(3rd Person Point of View)**

To say that you had a difficult time returning to the wall was an understatement.

Each gallop the horse made sent pain to your now bleeding abdomen. You did admit that whoever did it, chose the perfect time. With all the chaos happening, open fields, titans screaming, no one could ever hear a gun shot. To afraid to report it, you thanked your scout's cloak for being there to hide it. With only one hand to support you on a fully galloping steed, you winced all the way back to the walls.

To make things worse, when the Survey Corps arrived, they were met with such judging eyes. Looking at the crowd gathered, your vision was now getting blurry. It had been a few good hours for you to bleed out. There was something different about the bullet wound. It would usually equate to a slap once the initial shock was over, this one... This one had a more stingy sensation. Judging by your breathing, it was more heavy compared to other bullets you received a few years back.

You used your hand to apply pressure to the area. By now, your white uniform must've been stained to great extends. Sneaking a peak at your palm, you noticed how your blood had a darker shade of crimson. Rubbing your fingers, the texture seemed rough and oily. Placing it back under your cloak, you applied pressure once more.

All you wanted to do was head over to your dorm and clean yourself up.

'Shit... Mikasa will be there...'

Hange's lab was now in your mind. All the necessary things were there for your disposal. You just had to make sure that no one else would be there when you tend the bullet wound.

To your luck, everyone headed back to their dorms. You wanted to just plop to your bed but you've lost a tad too much blood, so priorities.

After fumbling with the locks to the lab and making sure that no one was following you, you slowly crept your way inside. By now, your vision was hazy and your steps got heavier by the minute. You still weren't sure whether or not this was a poisoned bullet but you only had one way to find out.

You reached for the first aid kit and turned on the desk lamp.

'Shit, do I still remember how?'

You took of your cloak and carefully removed your uniform. It was now half crimson. Judging it before tossing it to the ground, you deduced that lost around 7 pints of blood.

'Damn no wonder...'

You took the a wash cloth and began cleaning the area. It took a good while before you could finally see your skin again. Changing the water every now and then was draining but anything to prevent infections from happening.

Now that you saw the bullet wound, you took curved tip forceps and began the tedious part of it all.

Despite the efforts, tears came running down your face. The pain of having to pull the bullet out of your abdomen, by yourself, was A LOT. Each wiggle of the forceps caused you to shake tremendously. Your breathing was much more uneven now. Your knuckles turned white from clenching your fists in order not to scream.

Minutes passed, you still couldn't get the bullet out. You were able to locate it, but it was too deep for you to dare and get it. Every minute, you were losing more blood.

One more time.

You used your final bit of strength to force the forceps in. You felt your abdominal muscle stretch a bit as the forceps opened up to bite the bullet.

"AHHHH! FUCKING HELL!"

You couldn't help but let go of a scream as the bullet stretched its pathway once more to exit your body.

After a few more seconds, you threw the forceps with the bullet locked to it. Trembling, you tried your best to recover from all the pain that you just gave yourself. Grabbing the wash cloth once more, you washed your bloody torso once more. Seeing all the blood splattered around you gave you unwanted memories to flash back.

All of a sudden you remembered that day where you had to shoot 7 people and since they fought back, you ended up doing a messy job. In the end, you still shot them all but all the blood that had spread across the floor caused you enough trauma for a whole two months.

Your body started to tremble once more. The memories that haunted you came back to life for a brief moment. Bowing your head lower, you let out a silent cry as you let the tears roll down. With one hand holding on to the table and the other cleaning the open wound, the sense of vulnerability came and took over. You didn't care anymore. If anything else, you felt as though you deserved what you were going through.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

'Shit!'

You looked at the door and cursed yourself for not locking it. There were only two people you wish would appear. Hange or Levi. The only two people who knew about who you really were.

"Cadet (L/N)?"

You heard audible gasps from two people. Next thing you knew, they came running towards your direction. Lifting your head up caused you to feel nauseous. Your eyelids were now getting heavier by the second. All you wanted was to close your eyes and sleep.

"Oi, (L/N)! Stay with me. Keep your eyes open." The familiar voice said as he patted your cheeks with a hint of force to keep you awake.

You felt arms wrapping around you. Someone was now carrying you. 

"Give her to me, Levi. You're injured."

Levi looked at you. Your lips were pale and seeing at all the blood spread across the floor, he tightened his jaw and held on to you even more. The infirmary was on the top of his head till he glanced at the cause of all the blood. Even though the room was dimly lit, he caught sight of the forceps that still locked the bullet. Assessing you closer, his eyes trailed to your abdomen that held the open wound.

'Damn it. Of all people to be with, it had to be Erwin.' He let out an audible 'tch'.

"Take her to my quarters, Erwin. The nurses are preoccupied."

"Do you know something about this?"

"No. And it's definitely none of your business."

Erwin stared at his loyal friend whose shirt was starting to get stained with blood. He seemed to be putting some pieces of the puzzle together. But to him, he had no idea what the full picture was.

"I know what you're thinking. You will not talk to her about this. From here on out, she is my responsibility."

Shocked with the statement, Erwin reluctantly took you from Levi's arms and carried you all the way to Levi's quarters.

\- -

Erwin placed you on Levi's couch as he watched his small friend gather gauze and bandages. His sight traveled to you. Your breathing was slow, but it was even. He deduced that the gunshot wound would take a while to heal. However, he couldn't help but think why Levi would prefer you stay in his quarters. Something was up.

"If you're wondering why, I grew up with her."

This wasn't a good lie on Levi's part but he tried it anyway. After all, the commander didn't know everything about him. The only reply he got was a nod in the head. Sensing that Levi wanted to be alone, he stood up and went his way.

"He's gone."

You opened your eyes and carefully lifted your body. Whatever blood you were able to clean was back. It was't that bad anymore though. The bleeding had seemed to slow down.

"Why were you there? Why did you go?" You asked with your head down. Being caught was the least thing you'd expect.

"Erwin and I met up with Hange. We needed a certain file and it so happened to be in her lab. You, who are supposed to be in the infirmary, happened to be there at the wrong time." He was now in front of you. Taking a wet piece of cloth, he cleaned your torso once more. Getting the gauze and bandages, within a few minutes you were now wrapped up neatly.

"Thank you..." It was weak but you meant it.

"Go to sleep."

"Uh... Is it okay..." Your face was red now. "If I b-borrow a shirt or something?"

Levi looked at your bandaged torso and realized that you were practically naked save for your bra. He went inside his room and threw you his uniform and a pair of boxers.

"I'm sorry."

He sat down beside you and stared at your eyes. They slowly made their way down and explored your exposed upper body. Lifting his hand, he made his way to your collar bone. He gently traced his finger on your tattoo. You tightened your hold on his clothes.

"The tattoo signifies rank within the Capocrimine's gang."

He darted his eyes to yours. He wanted to know more.

"Dum Spiri Spero. 3 words. It meant I was ranked 3rd in his gang. Redsummer had Dulce Periculum. He was a rank higher than me but you were right when you called him a coward."

"What does yours mean?"

No one had ever asked you that. The only person who knew about them meaning was Call.

"While I breathe, I hope." You smiled as you shared the meaning of the tattoo that held a terrible part of your past.

"And his?"

"Danger is sweet."

"Who chooses your tattoos?"

"We're given a list. We get to choose what we want. It doesn't make sense but that's how it always was."

His fingers were now making their way up your jaw. You could feel his cold fingers begin to touch your cheek. Feeling flustered, you lowered your head again. A few strands of hair found your face. He tucked them behind your ear.

"Who shot you?"

"I don't know. It happened when we were heading back to the walls."

You suddenly remembered everything that happened and how he had just lost his entire squad. Lifting your head up caught him bu surprise.

"I'm... sorry about your squad."

It was Levi now who lowered his head. Only seeing a portion of his face made his emotions hard to read. This time, you lifted his chin with shaky hands. His steel gray eyes were in pain despite him trying to mask it away. The bags under his eyes had gotten worse. You were trying to think of a way to rid him of his pain, even if for a while.

"I'm here. I'm a bleeding mess, but I didn't die on you..." You whispered with a small smile accompanied with sympathetic eyes.

"Tch..." He didn't mind that you touched his chin. The sensation was new to him, uncomfortable almost. But he trusted you. "Go and change..."

You let go of his chin and tried standing up. Inevitably, you failed. Your legs were too weak and still recovering from so much blood loss. Levi held you up and helped you to his bathroom where you slowly and painfully changed into his clothes. When you knocked on the door to signal you were done, he opened the door and led you back to this bedroom. Your eyes widened when you realized where you were heading.

"Uhh.. I don't mind the sofa..."

"Brat, the sofa is a bloody mess because of you."

"Bu-"

"Just shut up."

You obeyed. Too tired to pick up an argument, you were now lying down on his bed. It felt like heaven to finally lye down. You let a smile escape your lips. You made yourself comfy under his blankets.

Levi was about to leave but your body moved on its own. Despite feeling pain from a sudden movement, you grabbed a hold of his wrist. Both of you were shocked at what had happened. His eyes softened as he went closer to you.

"What is it, (Y/N)?"

In those rare instances where he calls you your name and not 'brat' gave you a weird sensation in your tummy. You were already aware of those sensations for quite some time now. It's only now that you listened to them. Feeling heat rise up your cheeks again, you felt him trying to set his wrist free. You let go of your hold. He slowly inserted his hand to hold yours. Your eyes found its way to both your hands.

"Stay with me..." It was so soft that even you weren't sure if the words came out of your mouth.

It seemed like it did. The next thing you knew, Levi protectively wrapped his arms around you. Whether this was real emotion or out of pity for an injured soldier, you weren't sure. All you wanted to do was to bask in his scent once more.

"You won't suffocate me like last time, right?" You joked as you made yourself comfortable in his arms. Hearing an amused exhale, he held you tighter. That made you react a little. He stopped. He had placed his hand under your chin, again, to see your face turn a deep shade of red.

"Try me, brat."

You scoffed and let out a laugh. It halted when you felt pain in your abdomen.

"Get some sleep. I'm not going anywhere."

You nodded. Before making yourself melt into his embrace once more, you looked at him. Your heartbeat started rising. Your breathing started to hasten. Now that your bodies were so close to each other, you could feel his heartbeat as well. Despite his poker face, you knew he was holding on to his heartbeat.

Using your elbow, you pushed yourself up and gave him a small kiss on the lips. His eyes widened at your action. The tightness of his embrace faltered and you, too, were shocked that you made the first move. Pain can really cloud a person's judgement, you mentally wrote that down.

He pulled you back into a tight embrace. Finally, you melted back into his being. Before you could finally fall into a deep slumber...

"Brat, look at me"

You complied with hazy and sleepy eyes.

He was hesitant at first but he did it anyways. He gently placed his lips on yours. It shocked you, but your stomach and his were going in knots with the connection made. He pulled you in closer, but slowly, knowing that he might cause you pain. You wrapped your arms around him and let him lead the kissing.

There was no lust involved. It was all raw emotions and both of you felt it. Not wanting to break the kiss, breaths were inhaled every now and then just to make sure that nothing could break this intimate connection that the two of you just created.

Breaking the intimacy at the same time, you leaned your forehead on his. You couldn't help but bite the inside of your lip. Never in your life had you felt like this. The feeling of having someone want you was something you've always wanted. Even though you weren't quite sure if Levi was just going with the moment or if he meant it, you were able to feel it in a short amount of time. That was more than enough for you.

He cupped your cheek and let you lye on his chest again as he embraced you once more.

"Good night, (Y/N)"

"Good night, Captain"

He gave you a soft punch to the shoulder. You giggled once more and hugged him tighter.

"Good night, Levi"

You couldn't see it but Levi smiled a little. After how many months, he finally fell into a deep sleep with you in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -  
I seriously hope that Levi isnt that OOC here. I do imagine him like this if he starts developing feelings towards a female :3 Nonetheless, I hope you all liked this chapter :)
> 
> Take care and feel free to leave a comment! :)
> 
> -KG


	20. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have a talk with Jean and Armin

You woke up with a start. Darkness surrounded you except for a dim light.

Bowing your head, you cussed in disappointment. The pain was slowly creeping in again.

'A fucking dream. Of course...'

Giving yourself a seconds to fully wake up, you continue to clean the wound. Each dab caused a small amount of pain. It was tolerable now but annoying nonetheless. Carefully standing up, you head over to the sink to change the water and wash the cloth. It was slow and agonizing but sanitation is key to healing.

The feeling of the ice cold water gave you goosebumps. Draining the crimson liquid and changing the water, you took some soap and began washing the cloth. It took a while for the blood to clear but you managed to do it anyways.

After fidgeting through the medical supplies, you got yourself some gauze pads and bandages. Wrapping yourself up as neatly as you could, you dragged your feet to the sofa. It was getting a bit chilly now. You reached for your scout's cloak but it reeked of blood and was much too dirty for your taste. 

Pushing yourself to look for some sort of cover, you found some newspapers by Hange's desk. For now, that was the best you could do. Grabbing a few, you limped your way back to the sofa. Not even bothering to take your boots off, you fell into a deep sleep.

\- -

Only a few hours had passed. Making sure to take only a nap, you still felt lightheaded. Sitting up, you straightened yourself and stretched your body. Each stretch caused bubbles to pop in your bones. The skies were still a dim color. Letting out a tired sigh, you carried your injured body across the floor and began cleaning.

It took a while for you to find the cleaning supplies, but you found them tucked away in a random supply closet in the back. Each bend you had to make and each scrub you moved caused you to wince. Brushing it off, you still continued to clean. Every now and then, you checked to see if the bleeding was too much or if there were any spots left on the floor. Trying your best, you gently lifted the pale back and forth to the sink with utmost silence.

All the while, your head was reliving the dream you had.

'Come to think of it... How is Levi?'

You stopped scrubbing and got engrossed in your thought. In your dreams, he looked broken but kept it all to himself. Was that how he looked now? Would insomnia get the best of him again? Shaking your head, you continued scrubbing. Those thoughts could wait but the germs couldn't.

Once the floors were blood free, you approached the forceps you had thrown a few hours back. Taking rubber gloves from your own desk, you took the bullet away from the jaws. Placing it on your desk, you cleaned the forceps and returned it. Grabbing your blood soaked uniform, you placed it in your drawer, you'd have to get back to that on laundry day.

Everything was finally back to where it was. The skies were now turning orange. In the distance, you could hear the kitchen start to move and prepare breakfast for the mourning soldiers.

Looking for some clothing around the office, you found your lab coats. Taking one, you crept your way out of the office and made your way to your room.

It was a slow walk of pain to your room. Each time you heard shuffling, you immediately took cover to avoid questioning. At times, when you had to crouch, a small groan would escape your mouth. Finally, you arrived. Lucky for you, no one was in the room.

You took the most careful shower you've every had and changed into clean clothes. The scent of the detergent was energizing. Deciding that those pants and cloak would take a while to wash, you discarded them. Positioning yourself in front of a mirror, you dried your hair using your damp towel.

Your breathing was heavy but it was normal for someone who was had lost a lot of blood. Something was tugging on your guts. The feeling of being lightheaded still hasn't vanished. Perhaps it was due to lack of food. Choosing not to mind it, you head over to your bed and continued your sleep.

It wasn't long till you started to feel chills. It was a bright and sunny day in Trost. In your room, you were wrapped up in your blanket.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

You opened your heave eyelids. Not wanting to cause trouble, you stood up to answer the door.

"Yes?" It was weak but not too suspicious. Everyone was tired from the expedition.

Jean looked at you with worried eyes. He saw how pale your lips were and the fact that you were wrapped up in a blanket made it even more obvious that you were sick. Looking down, he had brought with him a tray of soup and bread. Weakly opening the door, you let him in.

"Eat up, pipsqueak. You look like shit." Setting the tray down and sitting on the chair beside yours.

"I am shit, Jean. I feel like absolute shit." You adjusted your blanket and shivered a little.

He felt your forehead and his eyes widened.

"You're burning up, (Y/N). We gotta go to the infirmary for meds."

"It's fine, Jean-boy. I just need some sleep."

"Well, I'm not leaving you alone here." He replied as he stood up and readied cold water and a wash cloth to soothe your fever. Understanding right away, you ate the stale bread and chugged the soup. It tasted even worse now.

Helping you up, the two of you limped your way to your bed. You got comfortable once more and closed your eyes. Trying your best to level your breathing, Jean wiped your forehead with the wash cloth. Taking a peak at the boy, you gave him a small and thankful smile.

"Thank you, Jean. You're making things much easier than you realize."

"No problem, pretty face." He smiled back in return.

Despite Jean being a prick, he was still your best friend among all the trainees. You thought about telling him your secret but you were too scared to see how he's react. Putting the wash cloth down, he took your forearm and gave you a small massage.

"Reminds you of old times?"

"Awkward times." You let out a small giggle. "What were we thinking?"

"At least we tried." Shrugging his shoulders, both of you laughed at the memory.

"To our defense, nothing happened!" Giving him a small punch.

He shuddered when his brain made him recall. Yet, he still continued taking care of you.

Adjusting your body a bit, you winced in pain.

"Oi... Did you get injured?"

"A bit. I'm fine. Don't worry." Now lying down on your side, you let out a sigh. "Hey, Jean. What if I told you I was a bad person? Like, real bad."

"How do you want me to react? You don't do shit unless you have to."

You looked at the tall boy massaging your arm. Being vulnerable was nothing new when it came to the two of you. Just as you were about to speak up, another set of knocks broke the silence.

"Jean? (Y/N)?"

"Armin? What's wrong?" Jean asked as he helped you sit.

The blonde boy approached the two of you. Dragging a chair with him, he stared at your body. With one glance at each other, you knew that he knew what you were hiding. He threw you some pain killers.

"You're too smart for me, Armin."

"Pain killers? Hey, (Y/N). Tell me the truth." Jean raised his voice a bit as you took one tablet.

Glancing to see if the doors were locked, you decided to tell them.

"What do you think happened, Armin?" You gave him the privileged.

"(Y/N) got shot."

"The fuck? How?!"

"I noticed how she only used one hand to hold on to her reigns. The way she angled her body suggested that something was wrong. If the cause were from a blade, I would've seen blood trickle down to her uniform, but nothing. Despite it being a fat fetched idea, a gun shot wound would be the most probable answer."

Jean now looked at you with utmost worry. His eyes traveling to your torso. You gave him a small smile as you lifted your shirt up and showed to him bandages soaked with blood.

"Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I didn't want you to worry. And this is my problem. I can't drag you in to this shit hole."

The two boys looked at each other. Jean nodded at Armin.

"You can tell us you know. We can keep secrets when needed."

There it was again. A lump formed in your throat. No matter how hard you tried to erase it, your past always crawled its way up. Hange was now involved. Would Jean and Armin make a difference? You felt the wound throb and winced in pain.

"Who are we to judge anyway?" Jean added. He gave you a smirk. That was his way of telling you they could be trusted.

With that, you poured it all on them.

Now three people knew about who you really were. That meant you were now endangering three people. Yet, the dreaded feeling wasn't so heavy anymore. You knew they could be trusted. And they knew who you were. If they can accept it or not is the real question pulling your skin.

After telling them what you had told Hange, both of their jaws dropped. All you were hoping for was that you had not tampered with any of their relatives.

"Holy shit. No wonder you took down the titans that fast with the shotgun." Jean commented as he stared blindly into space. Absorbing what he had just heard.

"That wasn't so hard now, was it?" Armin said as he placed his hand on your knee.

That single gesture made you break down. Telling yourself that you didn't deserve the kindness you were getting made you feel guilty. Far past the point of redemption, you let your tears take over and your feelings flood your system. Seeing how in distress you were, Jean sat himself beside you and pulled you into his arms. Hugging him in return, you let it all out. Trying your best to keep your cries silent. Armin simply patted your back telling you that things were okay.

Minutes had passed and you calmed down. Fatigue finally hit you. Jean carefully put you down and made sure you were secure under your blanket.

"Hey, Armin. Promise me one thing."

"What is it?"

"No matter what or who tries to harm (Y/N), you and I will kick the living shit out of him."

"Sure thing. For now, I know what we can do to help her."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -  
How are you guys liking the pace of the story so far? I'd love to learn more about what ya'll think :) Thank you for reading and take care! :)


	21. Horseback

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your bullet wound gives you troubles.

You woke up with puffy eyes. Jean was still there along with Armin. They seemed to be busy with some files. They were startled by your sudden movement but eased immediately.

"Good afternoon, beautiful."

"I slept that long?" You sat yourself up carefully. You poked around your wound and you felt something off again. It felt that it was much more swollen. You brushed it off knowing the wound was fresh. Slowly standing up, you felt your head spin and couldn't hold it in. The next thing you knew, you vomited.

Jean and Armin immediately ran to your aid. Armin holding your hair as Jean went to the bathroom to get a clean towel.

Looking at your vomit, you saw how it was a mix of puke and blood.

'Holy shit...' You thought to yourself. Feeling Armin petting your back, you tried holding another batch of vile liquid but efforts were useless. You vomited again. The two boys looked at each other as you desperately held onto the bucket Jean took from your bathroom.

"You're vomiting too much, doll face."

"No shit, Jean."

You were much paler now and you felt lightheaded again. Assessing yourself, you felt no need to puke anymore. Armin let go of your hair. Looking at him, you knew he was using his brain to think of something. Your eyes darted to your desk. The files they were looking at made a mess.

"What's with the files?"

"Well... after you fell asleep, we were able to ask a copy of all the names of soldiers who enlisted in the recent expedition."

"How in the world were you able to get such a classified document?"

Armin scratched the back of his head. 

"Well... The records keeper and I made a deal. But none of that matters. We did find something though."

Jean reached for the files and handed them to Armin. You stared at all the papers needed to proceed with an expedition. No wonder Levi was always pissed off at paper work. After rummaging through some pages, Armin took a piece of paper and handed it to you.

It was a list of each batch that had joined. Confused, you raised your eyebrow prompting him to continue.

"Jean and I were going through the names and trying to see if there were any unfamiliar one's."

"Well that's like a needle in a haystack. We barely know anyone outside the 104th trainees."

"But that doesn't mean we can't narrow things down. All we have to do is to look around for unfamiliar faces in the mess hall. It may or may not work, but it's worth a try."

Nodding in agreement, the plan would commence during dinner. Giving your two friends a thank you, they left you alone in the room. Feeling a bit more energetic now, you stood up and proceeded to clean the mess you had made.

After cleaning the vomit and the bucket, you decided to change bandages. You also wanted to see what was happening behind the wrap. Getting all the supplies you needed, you started undoing the wraps. As you got closer to the skin, you noticed how there was a mix of puss and blood. There was a scent of rotten flesh causing you to gag a bit.

If there was one thing you remember, gun shot wounds don't look like the site you stared at. The wound was very swollen, along the opening small boils had formed, no wonder there was a bit more pain this time. The skin around the wound wasn't the usual purple. It was a yellowish-purplish-reddish mix of colors.

A thought entered your mind. Changing into casual clothing, you slowly got out of your room and went back to Hange's lab.

Lucky for you, Hange was there doing paper work.

"H-Hange? Are you... doing paper work? Holy shit."

"Nah, I'm just scribbling some of my thoughts on how some more titan experiments. What brings you here?" She said as she set aside her paper work and placed her elbows on the table.

"Do you still have the notebooks I gave you? From my house?"

Going through her drawer, everything was still intact.

"Can I borrow a small leather bound notebook? It has an engraved "C" on it."

Finding it quickly, Hange tossed it to you. The sudden jerk of your body caused you to feel dizzy immediately. Walking to Hange's desk, you sat down on the same chair you had treated yourself. She was looking at you with curiosity but there was a bit of tension.

The small notebook contained information of plants, poisons, and antidotes if Hange remembered right.

"Is everything alright, (Y/N)?" Taking her glasses off, she placed them on the table without loosing sight of you.

"To be honest, no."

"What happened?"

"I got shot during the expedition. And the wound doesn't look pleasant."

Hange stood up and positioned herself in front of you. She seemed to be looking for something. Lifting your shirt up, she saw the blood patched bandage around your abdomen. The patch looking red and green at the same time.

"You think the bullet was tampered?"

Flipping through the pages, you nodded your head. The symptoms you were showing were too familiar. You had seen some of your victims go through it. The fact that it was happening to you caused you to brush it off as fatigue.

Your eyes landed on the answer you were looking for.

"Double coated lead bullet."

"Meaning?"

"It means my blood now has too much lead."

"Tell me what you need."

"A day off."

Hange tilted her head. Not the answer she was expecting.

"Well, since we recently did an expedition, we have recovery time till Erwin gives the call. Most probably, we have 3 days to recover before hearing what to do next." She squinted her eyes, almost scraping through your skin to get information. "Where do you plan on going?"

"There's only one person who has the antidote for this. I have to see him before things get worse."

"Where will you go?"

"Just here in Trost, but far north." Putting the notebook down, you met your squad leader's eye and smirked. "No, Hange. You will stay here and finish your experiments and paper work."

That wasn't the only reason, though. You needed to keep Hange away from them. To you, anything associated with your past is a threat to all your friends. Not minding the pout face Hange gave, you stood up and excused yourself to get ready.

It was a long walk back to your room. Anyone who passed by you would notice how visibly shaken and pale you were. You didn't mind it though. You needed the antidote and fast. Each step caused you to breathe in deeper and wince every now and then.

Finally making it, you only took one thing with you. A few minutes, you were now in the stable. Fastening the saddle to your horse was difficult. It was heavier now and you swore you felt the wound bleed. Having to stretch your torso was a nightmare.

You swung the saddle but failed miserably. You tried again but (h/n) had moved so you had to try once more. Breaking into a small sweat, you were now considering riding bare back.

"Oi brat."

Great. Just great. The one person you didn't need right now. Checking to see if there were any other people around, you decided to call him by his first name.

"Yes, Levi?"

"Going somewhere?"

"North Trost."

"Why?"

"Doesn't concern you."

Your eyes traveled to him. He was now limping his way towards you. You furrowed your brows.

"Levi, did you get injured?"

"Doesn't concern you." He retorted as he took the saddle from your grip and placed it on the horse. He started to buckle the belts and adjust it to fit the horse. From the corner of his eye, he could see how you rolled your eyes with his remark. It then shifted into a thankful one for helping with the saddle.

You remembered your dream and recalled how his voice sounded when he instructed you not to die. You felt a small heat travel up to your cheek. Levi seemed to notice but didn't bother.

"I'll accompany you."

"No it's fine."

"That wasn't a question."

Just as you were about to reply, you felt your head spin again. Levi seemed to notice your sudden change of composure. Seeing that he looked at you funny, you shook your head to force yourself to focus. That was, however, a mistake on your part. Your stomach started to churn.

You went towards the empty bucket and relieved yourself. The vomiting seemed to last longer. Your abdomen started to sting you again. Trying to put some pressure on the wound would make no difference. Choosing not to do anything, you closed your eyes and tried to even your breathing.

Levi approached you and stared at the bucket.

"Disgusting. The fuck happened to you?"

'Oh. Someone sneaked in during the expedition and shot me with a poisoned bullet, theoretically.' You thought.

Looking into his eyes, you couldn't muster the courage to tell him what really happened. So instead, you gave the most logical explanation.

"Yeah... I'm... p-pregnant." You felt yourself cringe. Waiting for his reaction, which was nothing, he simply reached out his hand. Confused you accepted it anyway. He gently led you back into the stables. The two of of you walked towards the faucets.

"Gargle the vomit away. It smells worse than shit."

You immediately complied. He held your hair back as well.

"I'm not gonna bother on asking who the dad is, but make sure that that thing in you will not hinder any coming expeditions."

"No need to worry, captain."

"Let's go. Northern Trost is far from here."

Next thing you knew, the captain was straddled on your horse. He extended a hand. You simply stared at it. Was he going to let you ride with him?

"I can ride a horse just fine."

"Just grab my hand, brat."

Few seconds later, you desperately held on to Levi's waist. The trotting of the horse made your stomach churn like mad and your abdomen hurt so much. Yet amidst the suffering, you couldn't help but admire how hard and toned his abs were. Feeling even dizzier, you rested your head on his shoulder. Levi was visibly shocked at first but he adjusted himself to make it easier for you.

With only 15 minutes left before arriving, you couldn't take it anymore.

"Levi. I have to throw up."

He immediately stopped the horse and helped you down.

You released and started shaking a bit. He bent down and handed you a handkerchief. When you accepted it, he placed his hand on your back and began patting you gently.

"Look, Levi, I'm not pregnant."

"I know."

"How?"

"I made sure every single male cadet is busy cleaning."

"Uh, okay...? I got shot on my abdomen."

His eyes widened at your statement. He helped you stand up and didn't bother asking permission. He lifted your shirt and saw your bandages. The horse ride caused it to bleed some more.

"Fuck. You should've told me. I could've went slower, (Y/N)."

"The sooner we arrive, the better. I think the bullet was poisoned."

Without a second to lose, Levi let you saddle the horse first. He positioned himself behind you that way he could make sure that you were okay in his sight. You stared at him over your shoulder and couldn't help but give a small laugh.

"What?"

"Nothing." You decided to tease him a bit. "I liked holding your waist."

"Tch."

He made the horse trot for a while so he could re-position himself. He placed his hand on your forehead and pulled you towards him. He placed his chin on your shoulder. With this amount of closeness, you could feel his chest rising up and down. He smelled like tea.

"Just lean on me. You're pale as fuck."

Not even bothering to pick up a fight. You agreed. Unconsciously, you leaned your head against his. He replied so by leaning his head. He also tightened his arms around you to make you more secure. A small smile escaped your mouth.

"Sorry for being a pain right now."

"You're not. Both of us are injured. I sprained my ankle. Erwin says I need to take a break for a while to rest. Bullshit, that's all I say."

"So, Humanities Strongest takes a break because of a sprained ankle? Amazing."

"Shut it, brat." He scolded as he used his chin to make you lean on him again.

"You know, I could get used you treating me like this. It's nice."

He let out an amused sigh. Leaning his head on yours.

"You're not going to ask questions?"

"I will but I won't. It's all on you if you'll tell me or not."

The rest of the ride was nothing but comfortable silence. In your head, you had to admit that this was much better than the dream you had. But your thoughts ended else where when the two of you finally arrived in the northernmost area of Trost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -  
The last filler till the action happens again :) I hope me inserting a few fluffs here and there are smooth hihihi
> 
> Also, I freakin' adore Jean <3
> 
> What are your thoughts so far of the story? :)
> 
> -KG


	22. Catching Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chapter filled with memories.

After a few more minutes of horseback, you finally arrived in the northern area of Trost. Nothing much has changed. Houses were far from each other. People still whispering to each other trying to find or to add to the latest gossip.

All eyes were on Levi. It was no surprise. Anyone who didn't know who he was must be an idiot. Not responding to their stares, the two of you continued till you saw a post to tie the horse. Helping you down, you stared into the shadowy alley.

It was long and narrow. The shadows of the buildings gave it an aura that was enough to make people step back and walk away.

"Is this where we're heading?"

"Yeah. Just a bit father down this alley."

Giving you a nod, he made sure that you were behind him. Ever so often, he would look at you. Of course, it was only to see if someone had been following you. There was not a single person down this alley and it gave him even more reasons to be alert.

After walking for quite some time, the wooden sign was finally visible. Upon reading the sign, you choked on your breath silently.

Dirkan's Apothecary.

The wooden doors creaked open. An aroma of different herbs and roots greeted Levi and you.

Barely any dust, the apothecary seemed to have been doing just fine. Some roots were now dwindling in supply and a number of jars barely had any powders left. Looking at Levi's direction he made his way to the tea section. You gave him a small smile and shook your head with amusement.

Approaching the counter, you recalled the last time you were here.

\- -

_"Okay... One more drop of nicotine and 3mL of lead."_

_You carefully pour the missing ingredients into the steel bowl in front of you. It had been days since you've last eaten due to an error you made with an earlier formula. The sounds your stomach made echoed in your small room in Northern Trost._

_Today would be the 3rd week of your stay here. You planned to stay no longer._ _The only reason why you were stationed here was to look out for another potential kill to add to your list. Instructions had been given and you dutifully did your part._

_But, despite doing your duty, your doubts were already growing. Call was still in the hospital and showing no signs of improvement. You've been receiving letters that he was getting fair treatment and that it was his body rejecting it. You called it bullshit._

_After mixing for a good minute, you stared at your concoction. It was hot to the touch and lifting it up, you could see a hint of smoke being produced do to the chemical's reaction. The smoke made you feel queezy. Putting it down, you took a pen and paper and wrote it down._

_You took a syringe and sucked in 9mL of the steaming liquid. Turning around, you faced your hostage. A random citizen who happened to bump in to you late at night. You never liked taking hostages, but this one seemed to be a perfect candidate. He had tried to force himself on you, drunk and pungent. He opened his eyes and tried to yell but it proved to fail since a bloody cloth gagged him._

_He was clearly asking for mercy but you gave zero fucks._

_"So now you ask for mercy, eh?" You gave him a small tut. His eyes showed true fear. Once he realized what was in your hands, he started squirming and wiggling like a fish out of water._

_"What's the matter, Beron?" To make him more uneasy, you started tapping the syringe on your palm. "I thought you were a man of strength? the best dick a whore could get? Or was that all for show?"_

_Tears started forming in his eyes. If he was an innocent bystander, your heart would ache, but this one was a criminal._

_"Those don't mean shit to me, Beron." You bent down to him while reaching for a pocket knife. Slowly giving him a small cut. Once you were satisfied with the small amount of blood dripping, you injected the serum. It was tedious at first since he kept squiggling like a child, but you still managed._

_Giving him a smile, you threw the syringe into the bin. The grumbling of your stomach reminded you of its presence once again._

_"And now we wait."_

_Three days had passed and you looked as pale as ever. Every second you felt the constant need to puke. The serum was working. Beron was practically dead behind you. The mix of nicotine and lead was enough for you to hasten the process, exactly what the Capocrimine wanted._

_Scribbling more notes, you turned your head to look at the results once more._

_The scar remained the same size, however, about a dozen boils had formed around the area. Puss and blood seemed to have found their way together. The area around the skin was swollen as far is the skin could stretch. Purple, yellow, and red bruises framed the scar. The stench of his death engulfed your place. How you were going to dispose of him would be a problem._

_Standing up, you made your way back to your small desk. Taking out a small parcel from your drawer, you opened it and started eating. After you had sent some samples, you were immediately sent some food as a reward for doing well. While chewing your food, you wrote a small number on the bottom of the page._

_267._

_A few days had passed. You found a way to dispose of his body. You risked making a trade with the owner of the building. Safety in exchange for some extensive cleaning services. The room was back to its former glory. However, you were getting sicker and sicker as the days passed._

_Occasionally, you would throw up and collapse. Examining your body, you started to notice small boils forming on your shoulder. They looked similar with those of Beron's. Quickly, you took out your notebook once again and jotted down notes._

_'Steam from the chemical caused it to become airborne. Either that or my immune system is weak.'_

_Seeing that you were in deep trouble, you took a sample of your blood and began mixing an antidote. Using whatever available notes you had, you tried to mix and match herbs with chemicals. It was proving to be of no use till you finally saw a positive reaction under the microscope._

_Writing the necessary ingredients, you grabbed a scarf and covered your face. Slowly you made your way to the nearest apothecary._

_The nearest one was a long walk from your building. You grew lightheaded with each step. It had been two days since your last meal. With your breathing hastening, you felt your vision blur and could do nothing when your body collapsed._

_When you woke up, you felt much better. Your head was clear. Looking around you, you were in a small room that smelled of lavender. It was relaxing but still, you were alert. A bowl and a piece of bread caught your eye. Silently, you ran towards the food and gobbled it down within a minute._

_"Hungry, are we now?"_

_You jumped and turned around immediately. An old man with silver hair smiled at you amusingly. He wore baggy clothes and his scent reached you. He smelled of different herbs and spices. It was a bit disgusting at first but your nose adjusted._

_"Who are you?"_

_"I am the one who left the food."_

_Your eyes followed him as he walked around the room. When he reached the table he simply sat down with a bit of effort. Stretching his legs, he took out a crumpled piece of paper._

_"Calcium, Turmeric, Goldenseal, and Valerian."_

_Not being able to utter a word, you simply snatched the piece of paper form his wrinkly hands._

_"Someone wasn't as careful..."_

_Furrowing your eyebrows, you sat down and tried to decode who this old man was. Judging by his smell, he must've been the person you aimed to see._

_"Are you the apothecary?"_

_"Indeed I am!" He clapped his hands slowly and sarcastically. "And you are a criminal."_

_You choked on air but managed to hide it._

_"What makes you think that? It's terrible to judge a girl like that."_

_"It's obvious. You're eyes show hatred, darkness, angst. Yet, there is still a hint of hope to them. That is keeping you human."_

_"You're uttering bullshit old man."_

_"You speak like one too. But please, don't bother to beat around the bush. I saw your tattoo when I treated your boils."_

_Shifting your eyes to your shoulder, you only realized that there was indeed a bandage. A fresh one at that. You let out a defeated sigh._

_"What do you want?"_

_"A guarantee that those filthy scums get nowhere near me."_

_"Protection?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Why?"_

_"Because you are Killshot, no?"_

_You raised your eyebrows in shock to his response._

_"Name?"_

_"Luke Dirkan."_

_"How did you know?"_

_There was a mischievous twinkle in his eye. One that looked too familiar. Studying his features, you focused on his eyes. They were hooded and droopy. The light entering the room caused them to glow like emeralds. You had a hunch. But it was a stretch._

_"Are you linked with the Capo?"_

_"In a way yes, but no."_

_"Do you have a son?"_

_"Ooh. You're getting somewhere, Killshot."_

_"I don't like playing games, Luke."_

_"Okay, okay," He said while putting his palms in the air. "All I want is protection for me, myself, and I."_

_"What do I get in return?"_

_"Well, I'm an apothecary. I can make antidotes for you, just like I did for that one."_

_Deciding it was worth a risk, you agreed. You handed him a silver ring with an engraved KS on the inner rims. In exchange, he gave you a few syringes of the antidote for you to use._

_As you were about to leave, he reached out and held your bandage free shoulder. Your eyes shot him but kept your cool. Understanding how hard it is to find particular herbs and roots, you let him grab your shoulder. There wasn't much force in it._

_"If you see him... Tell him he still has a home to come home to." All sense of mischief in his eyes disappeared. All that was left were a set of murky emerald eyes holding grief. Pleading if you were to look any longer._

_"I cannot guarantee, but I will if we get to meet." Giving him a small bow._

_Finally leaving the apothecary, your mind couldn't help but wonder. Everyone has their own stories to tell. Why they left their houses, why they fell in love, why they moved on. Having been able to spend some time with Redsummer made you think why he chose to be in the path he is now._

\- -

Noises came from the back door. Waiting for the person to come out, you ventured to the shelves to see if there was anything new. Each bottle had it's unique shape. Labels were simply glued to them.

Footsteps were approaching you. You were ready to greet whoever it was.

Both your eyes met and the world seemed to stop. Immediate tension filled the air. Your eyes were staring into familiar emerald eyes. You knew only two people who had them in this part of Trost.

"Damn."

"Holy shit." He agreed.

That's all the two of you could say.

You recognized his messy sand-blonde hair. Time had given him a change seeing his features were much more relaxed than last time. It had been 4, or even more, years since you last saw each other. Yet, the two of you only knew each other by title. You knew him as Redsummer. He knew you as Killshot.

"I'm Aiden." He reached out for a handshake.

"Aiden... I'm (Y/N)." You accepted the hand shake.

Once your hands separated, questions came flooding your mind again.

Aiden's sight went towards the captain who was glaring at him intently. For a brief moment, you saw fear in his eyes. Probably remembering what they had done to him in order to get information. Giving him a pleading smile, Aiden gave him an acknowledging nod.

Not taking his eyes off the sandy-blonde boy, Levi walked towards you and made sure he established a message. Aiden simply gives him a small laugh.

"Captain Levi. No need to do that. I have no interest in her."

You looked at them with confusion. A brief exchange of the 'man-code' probably happened.

"If I may, can we talk in private, (Y/N)?"

Levi's gray eyes darted to you. He saw how you were carefully thinking of what to do next. The way your eyes scanned the other man was a telltale sign that you were not sure whether or not he could be trusted or not.

"As long as you keep the door open."

"No problem."

Turning to look at Levi. You gave him a small push and he sighed. Brushing his fingers on his raven hair, he went back to the tea section.

"I won't hesitate if something happens." He made sure to whisper into your ear.

"I may not be Humanities Strongest, but I was Killshot." You gave him a playful wink and followed Aiden towards the staff room.

As agreed, he kept the doors fully opened. The habit kicked in. Both of you placed both hands on the table. A sign that meant no weapons were to be used. It happened so naturally that both of you let out a short laugh.

"So, your real name is Aiden."

"Yeah. And yours, (Y/N)."

"Mhmm." You nodded your head while staring at your hands. "You look better now. Time has seems to be kind on you."

"Same goes to you."

"So, what was it you wanted to talk about?"

"I bet you know that a few years back, Captain and Commander caught me." He winced a bit. Probably recalling painful memories again.

"Proceed."

"I just wanted to let you know that I didn't tattle you out."

Now that it was bought into the limelight again. Hange and Levi wanted to tell you that Aiden had given a name. They just never got to finish their sentences.

"Why did you take the credit of my numbers?"

"Twas my way of protecting you. If I could just get them to believe that I did all those, perhaps you clearing your name would've been made easier."

"You're not as much of a coward as I thought you were, Redsummer."

He chuckled upon hearing that title.

"Yeah, don't ever call me that again." Shaking his head, he couldn't help but close his eyes. Recalling everything he had done. "But, I actually wanted to tell you something else."

You tilted your head.

"It's been a year since I stopped. I still try to keep contact with the others. He's still on the look out for you, Killshot."

You swallowed your saliva. Biting your inner lip, you couldn't help but shiver at the thought.

"He's catching up, Redsum." You stared into his emerald eyes. "I got shot from a recent expedition. That's why I'm here. I need the antidote. Is your dad here?"

His shoulders slumped.

"That's also another thing. They took him, (Y/N)."

Aiden explained how he was tasked by his father to go out and gather a few roots and plants. He was only gone for less than 3 hours. When he came back, the place was ransacked. Having a bad feeling grow within him, he ran towards his old man's bedroom only to find it empty. There were signs of resistance but seeing as his dad wasn't there, he realized the situation immediately.

"What made you stop, Aiden?"

"You."

Your jaw dropped. Not expecting the answer, you were at a loss for words. Seeing your reaction. He extended his hand and ruffled your hair.

"Not in that way, buddy. The captain would gladly repeat what he did if I looked at you that way."

"Nah. There's nothing between me and him. But he would hit you, no doubt."

"You really are dumb, you twat."

"Do you have any plans?"

"I do... But, it's not final yet."

"I see. Well, if it means getting your dad back and ending the Capo, I'm all in."

Both of you shared comfortable silence. Aiden may not have been the best companion during missions, but both of you had moments where you two would get along seamlessly.

"Thanks. For reminding me that I have a home to return to."

Your eyes immediately softened and you gave him a genuine smile.

He decided to excuse himself to prepare the antidote that you needed. Leaving the staff room, you saw Levi sitting on a chair facing the alley. Looking bored as hell.

"Heya, captain."

"Did he touch you or shit?"

"No. But I touched him." You gave him a slight tease.

"Tch. You're walking all the way back to HQ, brat."

Testing the waters, you continued the teasing.

"Would you really let me walk all the way there?"

His eyes met yours. Letting out a sigh, he rolled his eyes. A silent win for you.

You ruffled his hair. He didn't even complain or scold you. All Levi did was to stare at your smile and glance back at the empty alley.

A moment later, Aiden returned with a paper bag.

"The syringes are here. 8mL each, if my dad's notes are still accurate."

Nodding your head, you accepted the paper bag. He had prepared more than needed. There was another parcel inside that looked like tea leaves.

"Uh.. I didn't get any t--"

"It's for the captain. He's been eyeing the tea leaves for the whole time frame you were here. It's an odd combo of black, green, white, oolong, yellow and puer. With a dash of mint to add some spice."

Levi looked contented with the little gift. The nod he gave Aiden said it all.

You were about to give him some cash but he declined it and said it was on him.

After exchanging good byes, Levi and you head back to where you had tied (h/n).

When you were now in the streets, the lamps started to light up. The skies were now burning orange and pink. It was a really pretty sight to see. But that would also mean that traveling would be a bit risky. Somehow you were hoping that the captain would shrug it and push on with heading back.

"We should just stay here for the night. It's too risky to travel."

Took the words right out of your mouth. Feeling a blush happening you nod your head.

'Oh walls please help me now.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> a/n
> 
> My god this was longer than I expected but I actually enjoyed this chapter :) I hope you all liked it as well!
> 
> -KG


	23. Thank the Walls for Whiskey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Levi found an interesting place to stay the night.

It took a while for the two of you to find a place to crash in. Luckily, there was an inn near the area that had vacancy.

Truth be told it wasn't the best inn. On the ground floor was a messy and loud bar. Spilled drinks and splashes of vomit decorated the floor. The men drinking smelled of sweat and beer. Not the best combo. If given the option, you would rather head back to the HQ. Sadly, you were too aware of the dangers the night has when it comes to travel.

You and Levi had separate rooms. His was opposite yours.

Because it was a long day, you decided to take a long shower before going to bed. Regret came flooding in when you realized you had no extra clothing. With hesitancy, you wore your long sleeved shirt from earlier and decided to ditch the pants.

Taking the syringe out from the paper bag, you proceeded to inject the antidote. It stung a bit but almost immediately, the swelling had decreased and most boils were now gone. The bleeding still continued but in smaller amounts now. All in all, you were feeling much better. Having the constant need to throw up or being lightheaded was such a pain in the ass.

Thankfully, Levi purchased new bandages for you. After wrapping it up, you went to bed and fell asleep.

Everything was alright till you woke up with a jolt. There were loud thuds on the wall. Along with a few moaning sounds here and there. Realizing what was happening, your cheeks turned red from second hand embarrassment. Trying your best to go back to sleep, you covered your ears with your pillow but the thuds were too loud.

"Ugh. I hate this place."

Getting up, you dragged your chair towards the window. Putting your elbows on the window ledge, you watched the streets as a bunch of whores and drunk men made their way. The moon was shining brightly and the trees were rustling with the soft breeze that had just passed.

Knock. Knock.

You jumped a bit not expecting the knock.

"(Y/N)."

Confused, you wore your pants once more and proceeded to open the door. The scene you saw next was quite new.

Levi had bed hair. Messy and some strands standing. He carried his pillow and blanket in his arms. There was a hint of drowsiness on his face that suggested he was woken up by the neighbors deeds. Not even waiting for you to let him in, he pushed you a little and entered your small room.

He placed the blanket on the floor and dropped his pillow.

"What the heck are you doing?" You couldn't help but giggle at his actions.

"Neighbors are too god damn noisy."

"Ahh. I see. Same here."

You pointed at your wall and in came a thud and some moaning. Levi simply rolled his eyes and plopped onto his makeshift bed and pillow.

You didn't feel like going back to bed so you simply walk past his body and sat on the chair once more.

"You can't sleep?"

"Not with those sounds." You replied while shrugging.

There was silence again. A few minutes had passed and the moaning had died down. Staring at Levi, you could see his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Knowing about his insomnia, you hoped that he had indeed fallen asleep.

Bringing your knees onto your chest, you stared back at the streets. No more passerby's. Just the trees moving with the wind. Letting out a sigh, you were glad it was a peaceful night.

"What was that sigh?"

"You're awake?"

"I can't sleep."

He stood up and dragged the chair to sit beside you. Looking out, he let out a sigh as well.

"Do you want to drink?"

That was not expected. You stared at him with so much question. Levi wasn't the type to drink. He'd only drink tea. During the survey corps dinner, he would drink a small amount of whiskey but that was it. Nothing more than that.

"Are you asking as Levi? or Captain Levi?" You teased.

"Who would you decline?"

"Hmm... Levi."

"Then I'm ordering you as your captain."

You let out a real lough and nodded your head. Both of you stood up and head down stairs for a small drink.

\- -

After a 2 glasses of whiskey, your cheeks were now stained pink. Your breathing was a bit slow now. All you wanted to do was to concentrate on not throwing up.

Levi and you drank in silence. Small talk and a few questions here and there. Most of the time, the two of you would just stare at people and judge them. Despite it being past 12am, men still entered the bar and sometimes dragged a female with them on their way out. Others simply went up the stairs with them.

You could feel that some people were staring at Levi. Especially the whores. Occasionally, they would bump their asses on his shoulder and that made you irritated to the bone. He barely gave them any attention. He would just brush off imaginary dust and call them trash.

Finally, you yawned and the two of you slowly made your way back to the room.

Your way back to the room was a bit different. There was a bit of tension in the air. Probably because of the drinks, that's what you told yourself.

While walking in the hallway, you could feel Levi's fingers brushing yours ever so slightly. That made your heart beat a bit faster. In all honesty, all you wanted to do was to grab his hand and hold it.

Reaching the front of your door, you took the keys out from your pocket. Looking up, you saw Levi was leaning on the wall staring intently at you. His steel-gray eyes melting your soul. You blinked and he blinked back. Unlocking the door, you went in and he followed.

The moment you heard the locks click, you felt his hand grab onto your wrist. With one swift movement, you felt a bit of pain in your abdomen as he pushed you back to the door. He placed his right elbow on the door causing your faces to be inches away.

You could feel his breath brush your lips. His eyes were locked on yours. They went down and focused on your lips. 

"Uhh... Captain?"

"What is it, brat?"

"What's this?" You raised your arms and pointed your index finger at him then back at you.

He leaned in closer to your ear, causing you to inhale sharply. You felt the tip of his nose trace your ear. He made his way down to your neck. Your eyes were wide open, your breathing hasty, and you were biting your inner lip. You felt him dragging his nose on your neck making his way till your noses were touching.

His free hand found its way to your face. Using his finger, he traced your jaw. You could feel your knees about to give in. At this point, you were jello. With your lips inches apart, you wanted to grab his neck and go in for the dive. But, no. You kept yourself at bay and tried your best not to make the move.

From your jaw, his finger traveled all the way to your lips. Gently tracing them, he closed his eyes and closed the distance even more.

His upper lip was now in touch with yours. You could taste the whiskey in his breaths.

"If I kiss you, what would you do?"

Slowly, you raised your hand and grabbed onto his shirt. You closed your eyes as well. You tilted your head a bit to give him easier access.

"Why don't you find out, captain?"

With that, he closed the distance entirely.

Levi now had your body pressed against the door. All his body weight on you. Slowly, you crawled your hands on his chest. The material on his shirt caused you to feel each cut and crevice on his body. Soon enough, you had your hands wrapped on his neck, pulling him closer towards you to deepen the kiss.

He removed his elbow from the door and wrapped both arms around your waist. Careful not to cause your abdomen any pain. His hand slowly traveled down and found its way to your ass. He squeezed it causing you to moan through the kiss. Pulling his hair, he let out a groan.

Hearing him groan because of you caused your knees to give in. You knew you had nothing to worry about. The moment your balance faltered, he made sure to wrap his arms even tighter making sure nothing would get in the way. Feeling your stomach doing cartwheels, you held on to him even tighter. That caused a bit of pain on your abdomen, but in this moment, who gives a shit about that?

Your hands started to glide down to his shoulders. Using your finger tips, you gingerly traced the outline of his shoulders, his forearms, and down to his wrist. Making your up again, you cupped his face. You couldn't help but smile a little.

He removed his lips from yours and started to kiss your cheek. You felt him bring his hands up once more and he pulled you in a tighter embrace. His lips found your neck and he began pecking it. Looking for the perfect spot.

"L-Levi..." There. In an instant, he sucked on your skin and left a pretty deep mark.

He stared at the bruise and smirked. He seemed contented with it.

Now that he was face to face with you again, he saw how flustered you were. Your (e/c) eyes had the best combination, one of lust and love. The way you bit your lip was enough to make him want more. The throbbing sensation in his pants had to wait knowing that both of you were injured. He kissed your forehead and walked towards your bed. Your hand in his.

The bed seemed smaller now that the two of you were beside each other. He wrapped you in his arms while you rested on his chest. He began playing with your hair again.

"Why do you like playing with my hair?"

"It relaxes me."

He stopped fidgeting with your locks and pulled you up carefully. Now that your faces were near each other, he cupped your cheek and stared into your eyes. His thumb was brushed your cheek very lightly. Tucking in lose strands of hair, he gave you a small and tired smile.

"Get some sleep, brat. We head out first thing in the morning."

"Yes, captain!"

You snuggled in tighter and nuzzled into his neck. Before drifting off to sleep, you lifted your head to look at the sleepy captain.

"What?"

"Thank the walls for whiskey!"

He flicked your forehead and you nuzzled back to his neck. Wrapping you tighter in his arms, the two of you fell asleep.

Peacefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -  
oh my gosh! i wrote a kissing scene hahaha! i hope the scene was alright :) take care everyone!
> 
> -KG


	24. Teasing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Levi share a kiss in the early morning before heading back.

Waking up in a sleeping Levi's arms felt like a dream. You could smell the faint alcohol that clung to the scent of his shirt, his breathing was slow, and his jawline from your angle was just divine. Knowing that Levi had insomnia, you chose not to move for the time being. He deserved sleep as much as the next person.

Carefully, you moved your hand towards your abdomen to check if there was still swelling. Poking it slowly, you could tell that the swollen area shrunk and that the pain was barely noticeable. Still, you would have to change the bandages and clean the wound, something that you hated doing.

Levi shifted his position and was now lying down on his side, still making sure that you were in his arms. Your head was now clinging to his chest. Being able to hear his beating heart relaxed every bit of your senses. Hugging him in return was too good to be true.

"This better not be a dream..." You couldn't help but whisper to yourself.

"Hmm... Don't worry. It's not." Levi replied. He still had his morning voice which was heaven to your ears.

"Did I wake you up?"

"No. But I was able to sleep."

Snuggling into his arms, you wiggled a bit to tighten your arms around him. Feeling his legs wrapping around yours, you wished this morning would never end. Or at least, you would be able to do this again.

"We have to go, brat."

"I know."

Levi let out an amused sigh. His hand started to pat your head.

"You don't want this to end?"

"No."

"It won't. I'll make sure of it."

With that, you slowly stood up and felt heavy the moment his arms let go. Levi sat down and fixated his eyes on the window. The sun was now starting to illuminate the buildings across. Rubbing his eyes and ruffling his hair, he stood up and went towards the door. His eyes traveled to you and for some reason, he felt the need to touch you again.

As you were fixing all the messy strands in your hair, you felt a familiar set of fingers wrap around your wrist. The next thing you knew, you were pinned to the wall. Similar to what had happened last night. Not expecting the captain's sudden action, you felt yourself turn into a tomato.

Your eyes met his. Now that it was bright, you instantly saw his gray eyes filled with lust. You wanted to shiver at how intense his stare was but you caught your breath when you felt his hands travel up your arms. Using his fingertips, he gently traced your forearms. His fingertips reached your collar bone, his right proceeded to cup your cheek while his left hand traced your tattoo.

"Cadet (L/N)."

"Yes, Captain Ackerman?" Saying his last name was something he wasn't expecting. It was evident that he liked hearing it from your mouth.

With not a second to lose, his lips met yours. It was a deep and rough kiss. His left hand went down and found its way to yours. Instantly, the two of you intertwined each others fingers. Letting go of your cheek, he slid his hand down and snaked it around your waist pulling you closer to him.

Not being able to contain yourself, you smiled in between the kisses. You felt his teeth bite your lower lip. Letting out a moan, he took that as an opportunity to insert his tongue. There was a brief fight of dominance but a truce happened.

Feeling brave, you decided to trail your hands on his toned stomach. You lifted his shirt and placed your palms on his skin. You felt him flex his stomach a bit.

"Showing off now, are we?"

"Tch."

Letting go of his hold on you, he took of his shirt. That gesture caused you to turn even more red. Yet amazingly, you remained calm as your eyes absorbed the glory of his naked torso. Not noticing it, you had bitten your lower lip.

"Liking what you see, brat?"

"Yes, sir. I am."

You placed your hands on his shoulder and pulled him towards your. This time, you turned and pinned him to the wall.

"Aren't you daring this morning, Cadet (L/N)."

You leaned in on his ear and blew a bit. You felt his body jerk the tiniest at the sensation. Putting your lips against his cheek, you slowly made your way to his neck. Your hands made their way down and landed on the buttons of his pants. You simply tugged on the buttons, just to tease him.

Putting soft kisses on his neck, you heard him make a sharp exhale. You wanted to suck on the area so badly but you knew he'd get mad. Instead, you simply licked the area and kissed it again.

"D-Do it. It's fine." Levi instructed as he pulled you closer to him, his breathing labored.

You nodded and went back to the same spot earlier, this time you had the intention to put a mark on it. The sucking sensation caused him to let out a soft groan.

"There you go."

"If anyone puts a hickey on you, I'll go killshot on them."

"What the heck? That's dark, even for you, Captain." You couldn't help but laugh at how he decided to show his affection.

"What can I say, Cadet (L/N)?" Levi replied with tease in his voice as he flicked your forehead. "As much as I want to bring you to your bed, we have to go."

After you confirmed with a nod, he bent down and took his shirt. Lending it you, you gladly helped him wear the useless piece of clothing again. Pouting your lips, he kissed them once and headed towards the door.

"I'll see you in 15 minutes." With that he left and closed the door.

Still trying to process what happened, you couldn't help but drop to your knees and silently squeal like a fan girl. Fanning yourself, you tried to lessen the heat that reached your face. With all the sudden movements, you felt a sting of pain on your abdomen.

"Yeah. Okay. Calm down."

Hurriedly, you grabbed the antidote and began to do the dressing.

\- -

The sun was now high in the sky. Not a single cloud could be seen in the horizon.

Levi made sure to drop you off at your dorm. Handing you an extra pair of bandages, he left and made his way back to his office.

The sight of your room suddenly felt empty. Putting the bandages on the table, you suddenly thought of Jean and Armin. The plan was supposed to happen last night. After changing back into your uniform, you went out and marched your way to the training grounds.

Before reaching the training grounds, you saw the two boys sitting in the mess hall. When they saw you, they smiled and waved for you to approach them. You sat down and accepted the tea they offered.

"Where were you last night, young lady?" Jean teased.

"Okay. First, I'm older than you. Second, I had to go to northern Trost to get some antidote. I just arrived this morning."

"Was it 'I' or 'we'?"

Your jaw dropped and you kicked Jean's foot under the table. He winced in pain while Armin simply let out a soft giggle.

"Sheesh, lady. I didn't even imply anything. A lot of cadets saw you two arrive." He squinted his eyes towards your neck. Once he realized what he saw, he immediately sniffled a laughter. He shook his head with amusement.

You brushed it off and focused on Armin.

"Did you get any information?"

"Sadly no. But, I was able to talk with some of the others and a few of them noticed a cadet with a male with a bandanna wrapped on his wrist. They said it was a red one."

"Was he in the mess hall yesterday?"

"Sadly no. I doubt he's still here in the HQ."

"Doll face, isn't that like a thug thing? Bandannas on wrists?"

"You have a point Jean-boy, but the one's I know of don't use red. They use light blue." You paused. Confusion started to form on your features. "But... that may have been only a coincidence."

"Or... They were just waiting for the right time?" Armin thought out loud.

"Meaning?" Jean scratched his head trying to piece together the puzzle with both commentaries.

"Think about it. He was undetected. Nothing was strange. He was able to join the expedition." Armin started tapping his finger on the wooden table. "It might be a stretch but what if he was already here from the start."

Listening to Armin made you realize his theory. It was very much possible knowing you've never seen the rest of the group aside from Redsummer. That meant that someone was following you the day you signed up for the military regimen.

Before the three of you could continue, a cadet knocked on the wooden doors.

"Cadet Kirschtein, Cadet Arlert, and Cadet (L/N), you have all been called to gather in Commander Erwin's office." Giving you all a salute, he left and continued walking away from the mess hall.

Standing up, the three of you exited the hall and made your way towards the commander's office.

Along the way, you met up with Eren, Mikasa, Connie, and Sasha. Reiner and Bertholdt soon appeared as well. A mini reunion so they say. Small talk happened while walking towards the commanders office.

Eren decided to knock and when given the instruction to enter, all of you were met by Commander Erwin, Hange, and Levi. The commander motioned all of you to sit in the long table in his office. After setting yourselves down, each of you were handed down pieces of paper by Hange.

Long story short, the meeting was all about the female titan.

Armin hypothesized that the female titan was none other than Annie. Everyone was at shock but not quite surprised. Looking back at it, the female titan did have some similarities with Annie.

Commander Erwin had devised a plan to capture Annie. Hange and you were instructed to make graphene-steel solution once more. Looking at Hange, you gave her a smile and winked. She winked back in return, showing excitement for some bonding time.

Levi on the other hand was pissed how the commander was forcing him to remain by his side. After a few debates here and there, he reluctantly agreed. It was amusing to you how he was made to rest due to an injury that had already healed.

The meeting was adjourned. Hange immediately ran up to you. You met her with open arms and the two of you made your way to the lab.

It had been a while since you and Hange spent time together. Her energy was as contagious as always, at least to you.

"How's your injury, baby girl?"

"Much better. I was able to get more than enough syringes of antidotes."

Hange opened the door to the lab and you entered. You gasped at how messy the office was with papers on the floor and folders scattered on the table.

"I was gone for a day and this happens?"

"Don't blame me, blame my mind. Was shorty of any use?"

Sitting down on your chair, you showed her amusement in your face.

"Wait, you made him go with me?"

"Yeah yeah! I figured you and him could use a little... alone time." She wiggled her eyebrows and you swore her glasses had some sort of shine on them.

"He was of good use actually."

"It's pretty evident, (Y/N)." Her eyes showed even more mischief when she pointed her index finger to her neck.

Your cheeks turned red and you immediately started shuffling papers. Hange just let out a laugh.

"He has one too! He denied it but I saw it before he wore his cravat!" Tears of joy ran down her face as she recalled the moment. "You should've seen how pissed he was. How can a man have that much anger?"

"Well... he is pretty short compared to Jean and Bertholdt." You shrugged but relived in your mind the kiss that the two of you shared.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Did something happen?" She had a huge smile on her face.

"HANGE!"

"(Y/N), even a blind man can feel that there's something going on between the two of you."

The rest of the day was spent with you and Hange arranging the papers and studying the barrel mechanisms once more. Occasionally, your squad leader would make jokes about you and Levi's relationship. All in all, you missed being with her.

The plan to capture Annie would happen in 3 days. Hange decided to bring you with her and Moblit to the weaponry. Nodding in agreement, the two of you started the tedious task of making graphene-steel solution.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -  
This took a while to write but here you all go :) I hope ya'll still like the flow.
> 
> While writing this, an idea came into my head! More twists to come! Take care!
> 
> -KG


	25. Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You get bumped by a familiar face.

Being with Hange and Moblit was a different experience.

Constant talking along the way and happiness radiated around them, of course while being professional at the same time. The usual topic was about titans, experiments, and just random things that would pop up in Hange's mind. But despite all the conversation, your mind kept going back to the stoic captain.

The trip to the weaponry wasn't that long. Now that the towers were coming into view, you felt as if the weight of the graphene-steel solutions doubled. Each clinks the beakers made were nerve wracking. Occasionally, you would glance at them to make sure all them were still in one piece. You learned the hard way that contact with skin caused minor burns.

Finally arriving, you were met with some metal workers who were quick to gather the solutions. Giving small smiles to them, you examined each of their faces.

It was a habit of yours, to carefully examine the faces of each person you would encounter. You would take in each detail and remember them well enough that way could tell who deserves a second chance, should the moment call for it. Despite hating the habit, you got used to it. Somehow even depended on it when you were trying to push yourself back up again.

Lost in thought, you felt a person bump into your back. Turning around, your eyes widened and your lips parted.

The person who had bumped into you seemed to react the same way as well. You saw how fear crept into his eyes as he slowly stepped away from you. His body was starting to shake. Fear started to fade and anger came in. The way his eyebrows met as his features wrinkled, you were at a loss for words.

"YOU!"

He pushed you much forcefully this time. Tightening your jaw, you accepted every word that came out from the metal workers mouth. Hoping that someone would stop what was going on, you looked around. Everyone had made their way inside the castle.

"YOU RUINED MY LIFE! YOU STOLE MY FATHER'S LIFE!"

His features were the same as they were a few years back. Your face was met with a forceful slap. There was a bit of pain on the corner of your lip.

"I... I'm sorry, Alistair."

"You remember it don't you? The way you left with Redsummer after smuggling his goods. You liked it, didn't you?!" The sting in his voice was strong.

In times like these, you learned that it was best not to argue. You kept repeating to yourself that this was all in your doing.

The day you found Thomas Mino's family was devastating. His wife was sickly and his son was tending to some crops waiting for his dad to arrive. Walking towards the boy, you saw his smile and kindness. The mother was sitting at the small porch, her eyes were bordered with curiosity but dread at the same time. Upon giving the news, you recalled how the wife screamed for you to get out and how the Alistair just stared into space.

Trying your best to apologize, you got on your knees. That only made matters worse. The pain of dishes being thrown at you, glasses shattering and shards pricking your skin was memorable. Before leaving their house, you left them an envelope that contained money. Knowing they would never accept it, you still chose to support them. Whether or not they spent the money, you didn't care. 

Now that Alistair seemed older, you felt a much heavier burden fall upon you.

"I regret everything, Alistair. You have no idea."

"You have some audacity to join the Survey Corps." His teeth gritted with every word.

Your eyes darted else where. You focused your strength on trying to control your trembling lips. Tears would surely fall but this was not the time. All you could do here was to clench your fist and take every single word he would throw at you.

"You don't deserve to be with them, Killshot. You deserve to be slashed like the titans."

"I know."

"No. You don't know. One day, you will meet your demise and I fucking hope that it will be as painful as hell."

Right there, you just wanted to go to your dorm and lock yourself in. You just wanted to drown in sorrow once more and punish yourself for every single life you had ruined.

"But you know what, I bet your little brother is ashamed of you. Having a big sister who runs around killing people? Shame."

"H-how..."

"You think, I'd go through life without learning more about you, Killshot? Your little brother deserved to die. You don't deserve him."

Anger ate you. You wanted to just take the solution and push it down his throat to melt his insides. Yet, you chose to take every single word he spat at you. By now, your body was trembling. Tears were now falling down your cheeks. Your clenched fists felt sticky and wet.

Not bothering about Hange and Moblit, you pushed Alistair aside and saddled up on (h/n). With a strong kick, you and your horse made your way back to the HQ. Seeing blood on your palms caused you to let out a cry. You forced your horse to go even faster. The wind in your face did nothing to improve the situation.

Finally arriving at the HQ, new cadets offered to take your horse to the stable seeing that tears were still running down your face. You thanked them and proceeded to your dorm. It was a slow walk at first, trying to trash talk yourself. The walk turned into a run as you felt the need to lock yourself up grow stronger. Before arriving to your dorm, you took a sudden turn.

With labored breathing, bloody palms, and a tear stained face, you ran all the way to Jean and Armin's room. Upon reaching their dorm, they were no where to be found. You took a guess that they were still training. You wanted to move forward but you felt as if your legs were lead. You fell to the floor and pulled your knees to your chest. 

Each blink caused stinging sensations. You had been crying for quite some time now. Feeling tired, you felt defeated and slowly stood up.

"I guess in the end... It's just me."

You stopped in your tracks. There was one more person you could go to but in your head, you were too ashamed to let him see you like this. He has in the past but this was different. There was much more pain now compared to last time.

Most of the time, it was just guilt that would eat you. This one, you single-handedly tried to support a victim's family in hopes that they would feel less of a burden.

"Fuck it."

Turning around, you made your way to his office. You stared at your palms while walking. The blood was now dry and with no source of water along the way, you decided to leave it be. If he really did have feel something, then he wouldn't get mad.

After a few turns, you were now outside his office. You had stopped crying from thinking of all possible reactions he's make. In a way, you disregarded your position as part of Squad Hange by leaving all of a sudden. Your explanation would have to wait when they get back.

Knock. Knock.

"Name and business."

"I-it's Cadet (L-L/N)." Trying your best, you cleared your throat. All that crying had made you thirsty.

There was silence at the end of the door. After what seemed like a long while, you heard the locks click and the door opened. Levi showed slight confusion in his face.

"Aren't you supposed to be at the w--"

He stopped when he saw how puffy and red your eyes were. Noticing the small cut on the corner of your lip, he snatched your wrist and pulled you into his office. Slamming the door shut, your eyes widened and your mind turned blank.

He hurriedly stepped towards you and caressed your cheek. His face softened instantly when the doors were now locked. His thumb gently touching the small cut.

"Who the fuck did this to you?"

Tears started pooling in your eyes again. Your thoughts went back to all the hurtful words Alistair threw at you. Feeling Levi's hands intertwine with yours, you saw how he noticed the dry texture of your palms. Pulling it up to get a better look, he saw all the dried blood.

When Levi saw the small nail marks, he furrowed his brow and intertwined your fingers again.

"You don't mind the blood?"

"I mind who did this to you, brat."

He let go of your cheek and started patting your head. Still holding your hand, he led you to his sofa and made you sit in his lap. Pulling you closer to his head, you felt him nuzzle himself on your shoulder. His hair smelled like cinnamon. His arms were now wrapped around your waist protectively.

"Spit it out. Who did this?"

"It was one of the metal workers."

"And?"

"A few years back, Redsummer and I took the goods from his dad and I had to do the finishing job. I promised him that I would look for his family. I did and told them what happened. It did not go well."

"Idiot, why would you do that?"

"Because I made a promise and I had to do my part even if it means being humiliated. Long story short, his son became a metal worker and he bumped into me. He sort of said a bunch of hurtful words and I didn't want to make a scene so I just left Hange and Moblit there."

Levi gave a small hum. It was clear he didn't know how to comfort you. You let out a small giggle and simply shifted your position so you could hug him in return. 

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah. I was supposed to go to Jean and Armin but I couldn't find them, so I we-"

"Oy. You're supposed to come to me first."

"I thought you'd get mad for me bailing out on my squad duty."

He merely shrugged it off.

"But now that you're here... clean my office, will you?"

"Your office doesn't need cleaning, captain."

"Can you clean my lips, then?"

"That's just gross. Are you really Captain Levi?" You couldn't help but laugh at his lame pick up line.

"No. I'm yours."

You choked on air and felt your cheeks heat up. His arms wrapped you tighter. Extending your arms on his shoulders so you could get a clear look at his face, you squinted your eyes.

"What is it, brat?"

"Say that again."

"No."

"Please?"

"Clean my office, now."

"You're no fun."

"I know. I'm Levi. What do you expect?"

You blew him a raspberry and stood up. Might as well clean his office since you had nothing else planned for the day. Before you could fully stand up, he grabbed your waist and pulled you back in. He gave you a quick kiss in the cheek and showed you a very faint smile. One that was surely for your eyes only.

"I'm yours. Now clean my office."

Showing him a huge smile, you couldn't help but feel all giddy. You gave him a kiss in the lips and stood up to start cleaning his office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -  
Okay :) so this was just a filler.
> 
> Action will come in the next chapter <3 ya'll have a nice day now!
> 
> Leave a comment so I'll know what you think of the story so far :) It would greatly help me :)
> 
> -KG


	26. Bulls-eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You meet a man with a familiar name.

3 days had now passed since Altair and you had the encounter. After apologizing to Hange, she told you that it was no problem and that she had witnessed everything and that she took care of Alistair and his actions.

Everyone was now preparing to push through with the plans to capture Annie. Despite not being too close with Annie, You and the rest of your group of friends felt a heavy burden on your shoulders. Though Annie kept to herself, she was still able to leave a considerable mark on all of you due to the fall of Trost.

"Eren?"

"Yeah, (Y/N)?"

"Are you okay?"

These past few days, Eren had been on edge. Mostly due to the fact that the others, Sasha, Connie, Ymir, Krista, Reiner, and Bertoldt were put under observation and taken to some distant camp. Now, only Mikasa, Armin, Jean, and you were on his sights. After telling him that there was no other choice, his hesitancy was still there.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

Jean appeared dressed up as Eren in preparation for his trial. All of your focus went to him. Despite the serious situation, all of you were able to snicker at the small fight that occurred between the real and fake Eren. Your focus went to Jean once more. Most of the time, he simply argued with Eren knowing it eased his stress. Same goes for Eren as well.

Everyone was to arrive on horseback. Once you would reach the entrance, Armin, Eren, Mikasa, and you would travel on foot in hopes to get Annie cornered to a place where she can't use her titan abilities.

"Is that even a fail-safe plan?" You couldn't help but mutter to yourself as all of you were trotting on your horses.

"Well, just another day in the Survey Corps, right?" Armin replied with a small smile. _( a/n: I'm sorry I just had to_ 😂_ )_

_"_Hmm... despite that sounding dark, admittedly it's funny." You let out a giggle at his remark.

The trip to Stohess would take 4 hours, maximum. There would be a total of 2 stops along the way to let the horses rest, even if it was mostly for the soldiers to stretch. Armin and you were positioned in the carriage where Commander Erwin and Levi were in. Stealing a peak at the window, you could see and feel Levi's irritation for not being able to ride his horse. He caught your stare and rolled his eyes. Giving him a smile, you backed up a bit and went to Hange.

"What's on your mind, Hange?"

Hange seemed to be in deep thought when you adjusted your pace. She was shocked when you spoke to her. Giving you a maniac smile that slowly grew, you knew she was up to something

"2 things. First, I'm hoping we could get something from Annie that we can use to progress our research on the titans. Second, you and Levi."

"Huh?"

"First a hickey. Now, communication using the window's to the soul. Are you guys a thing now?"

That got you thinking for a moment. You and Levi were now quite open, to a point, whenever your alone with each other. He seems less cranky and gives you attention when needed. His protectiveness also started showing just recently. Even though you've only kissed thrice, you can't help but think...

"What are we? Probably it's just a fling?" That pushed sadness up a bit.

"Nah. He's not one for that. Just ask him." Hange reassured as she kicked her horse and went to the front.

Leaving you in your thoughts caused you to rethink of the moments the two of you shared. Somehow, the universe had given you a person willing to protect you despite knowing the past. At least not all of it, yet.

All your thoughts were interrupted when a lone soldier came up to you. Causing your horses to bump into each other, you had to grip on your reins to calm (h/n) down.

"What the hell was that for?"

"Quiet. Keep your voice down."

His face was covered by his hood. Trying to trot a bit faster, he bent his neck down more causing the hood to sink. Deciding that it was a lesser known captain, you brushed it off. You caught Armin staring intently at you and the soldier. Giving you a nod, you knew he meant for you to be careful.

"How's your wound?"

The sudden question caused you to widen your eyes and snap your gaze away from Armin. Your heart rate suddenly rose.

"What are you talking about?" A bluff. All soldiers had wounds, perhaps you were overthinking.

"The bullet hit you didn't it?"

"Who are you?"

"I'm an ally."

"Oh yeah?" You desperately wanted to stop both of your horses but causing a scene was something you wouldn't dare do. This would have to wait.

"You can ask questions once we make our first stop. Till then, here."

The soldier took a small ring from their pocket and handed it to you. You were hesitant but took it anyway. Upon further inspection, you saw a small engraving on the band. A small gasp escaped your mouth when you realized what the statement was. It was only one word but you knew it well enough.

Your tattoo suddenly felt itchy. Putting the ring inside your jacket's pocket, you nodded and proceeded with the journey.

Every now and then, you would steal glances at the soldier. Trying to see what their face was. The hood was too far down to give you a chance at a sneak peak. Whoever that person was matched the pacing of your horse. Almost in a protective way.

Not too long after, the formation came to a halt and the first stop commenced. Each soldier went down their horses and stretched their legs. Some even did squats to lessen the numbing of their asses. Others simply sat down, drank water, and talked to their fellow mates.

Commander Erwin had gotten off the carriage and walked his way to the front lines. Levi followed as well.

You felt a hand touch your shoulder and immediately turned around.

You were met with light blue eyes who seemed to have been through a lot. There was dullness in them that caused them to look droopy. In a way, you saw your eyes.

"Keep your voice down, K-Shot."

"Are you... The Bulls-eye?"

You were given a nod.

"Holy shit. I mean, it's an honor to meet you. That's obviously fucked up but still."

Bulls-eye held the top position within the Capocrimine. This would be the first time you ever saw him. He gave a small smirk at the comment. He let his hood down. Extending his hand, he formally introduced himself.

"Cassian Finn."

Cassian had messy mahogany hair. His light blue eyes caused his skin to look pale. He was tall and could certainly pass for a famous aristocrat if he wanted. From all the rumors you heard, he was at some point. Accepting his hand, you gave him your name as well. _(a/n: so basically Cassian is Senri Shiki from Vampire Knight. Just with a dash of Aido's personality hihi)_

"(Y/N) (L/N)."

"I know what your thinking. Was it me who shot you?" That small smirk he made caused you to raise your eyebrows. In all honesty, he was really handsome.

"Are you part of the 104th?"

Ruffling his hair, he slumped to the ground and let out a sigh. Shock at the sudden change of behavior, you followed and sat beside him.

"Nope. I came before you."

"How d--"

"I just realized that what we did was wrong. Commander Erwin managed to persuade me. He promised to keep my identity hidden in exchange for protection when needed."

"Commander Erwin knows you?"

"Yes. And he does with you."

Your mind went blank. All this time, Commander Erwin knew who you were. Him remaining silent caused your respect for him to increase. There was still wonder as to why he chose not to confide with you about it. Perhaps he was busy.

"I saw what happened to you during the last expedition. I wanted to approach but even I knew it would be too risky for us both."

You furrowed your brows at his statement.

"What do you mean?"

He took your hand and placed it on his oblique. You felt a bandage patch.

"Wait. It was both of us? So there's two of them?" There was panic in your voice.

"As far as I know, there's only one and it's someone from the 104th. I just can't pin point who. I met with Redsummer in hopes of him having an antidote. I was lucky his father was there."

Worry came across your face when you realized that you had no idea whether or not his dad had returned or not. The fact that both of you were only a day apart in visiting him caused goosebumps. Even if you did, you would have never guessed he was the top shooter among the Capo.

"Well... I have a few more syringes if you want." You offered with a small smile.

Smiling in return, he ruffled your hair causing you to gasp.

"I've only seen you once and yet I have to admit, puberty hit you good." He stood up and offered a hand. "I'm fine. I've had worse."

"So what now?"

"Whatever ranking you see in me, forget it. I hate being called Bulls-eye as much as you hate being called Killshot."

You nodded in agreement. 

"But for now, just stay still. I'm still communicating with Aiden as to when we can make our move."

Hearing the command to saddle up once again, both of you mounted your horses.

"I'll go back to my post." Cassian gave you one more smirk before heading back to his group. "You look good, (Y/N)."

You felt your cheeks heat up and looked away. You heard him laugh a bit as he made his way back.

"Who was that?"

Looking to your right, you saw Armin. He had a worried look plastered on his face.

"Just one of the trainees from the 103rd."

"Oh. Anything to worry about?"

"For now, no."

Kicking your horse, both of you began to move with the formation. Plenty of thought ran through your mind as all of you moved forward. One of them being why the commander chose to stay silent all the way.

Hours passed and the gates of Stohess was now in your field of vision. The formation came to a halt before being close to the gates.

Armin, Eren, Mikasa, and you stood by and waited for orders. Your horses were now in care with the others. Your 3DMG hung vertically in your sides to avoid any suspicion. Commander Erwin went toward your group along with Levi by his side.

"Remember, bring Annie to the location and we will capture her there. Should the plan fail, back up will be there within the area."

"Oy brats. Don't fail. It would be troublesome to have titans rampage inside."

All 3 of you nodded heads and start your walk towards the gate with fast beating hearts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> a/n:
> 
> sorry for the late update :'( i got so busy lately. rest assured that I will resume the 3 day interval :)


	27. A New Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You get handed a new mission.

It's safe to say that the plan went well in a way that it also didn't.

The 4 of you were sadly not able to capture Annie. Despite Armin and Eren trying to persuade her to go down the tunnel, she saw through the plan and eventually transformed into a titan.

Eren was trouble the first half. No matter how many times he would hurt himself, he just couldn't transform into one. All of you knew, though. Annie was still part of the 104th. Despite remaining distant to everyone, she still had formed bonds with each of you, even if it was only a short amount of time.

Heading towards Hange, you saw how they were preparing the barrels to try and capture Annie. Seeing first hand how she had reacted, there was a gut feeling in your mind that the barrels wouldn't be enough. Still, all of you had to try. Moblit gave you a wave as Nifa was carrying a barrel into position. Gliding down from the roof, you landed near Hange.

"Squad Leader! The two titans are approaching."

She simply gave you a nod as she continued giving orders. After reporting, you proceeded with trying to help prepare the barrels. All of them seemed heavier now. Taking a peak at some, there seemed to be an additional 5 meters of cables to it. It might just work but you weren't too sure.

After quite some time, the preparations were now done and all you needed to do was wait for her to pass by.

When the time came she did, all of you managed to pull the trigger on time and even managed to put her under a net. Seeing Hange go up to her and whisper a threat to Annie was enough to make your spine tingle. It was one thing to see Hange hyperactive, it was another to see her so serious.

The ground started shaking again once Annie started to scream and shake herself out of the net. Kicking the barrels out of her way, all of you maneuvered to the buildings to steer clear from her. Your squad leader grunted at what had just happened. Giving out instructions, all of you dispersed and went to your instructed stations. Being with Hange and Moblit, made you feel a bit better at what had just happened.

All the three of you could do was to hope for the best. All of you were now holding onto Eren to do something.

After what had seemed like forever, Eren finally broke down Annie. Of course, both of them had to break a lot of buildings along the way. There were some casualties, but it was all calculated. For now, it would be the MP's who would do the dirty work, literally. The thought of them having to do work caused you to smirk a little.

You caught up with Jean who had just arrived. He wasn't wearing the disguise anymore. He seemed to be shaken at the sight of all the casualties in the street. Placing a hand on his shoulder, you gave him a small reassuring nod. He nodded in return.

Minutes had passed and finally Eren managed to take lead of their titan fight.

From afar, Jean and you stared as Titan Annie tried her best to escape Titan Eren by climbing the wall. It was a failed try at such a desperate attempt. Mikasa flew in cuts all her fingers, she seemed to have muttered something before Annie fell to her demise.

"Ah, she said a one-liner once again..." You gave Jean a smirk as the two of you watched from a safe distance.

"She does have a thing for that." He couldn't help but shake his head with amusement.

Using your 3DMG, the two of you head down and look for a safe spot to stare at the spectacle. Blades ready should the need arise. There was a lot of debris from the fallen church (and some dead bodies here and there). Choosing not to mind it, the two of you ran once more to get a closer look.

With focused eyes, all of a sudden you felt a sudden pull. Someone had grabbed your cloak and practically choked you out of sight. Jean was too focused on avoiding the incoming debris to notice. Gasping for air, you were now face to face with Cassian.

"Sheesh, if you wanna talk, you can just approach."

"Sorry, forced habit. Are you okay?"

"Never better, what's wrong?"

His ice blue eyes stared at you. There was quite a bit of awkwardness knowing he just dragged you out of nowhere. Both your eyes broke apart as he started rummaging through his pockets. Inside his pocket was a small container, the size of a pillbox. He threw it and you caught it flawlessly. 

Twirling it around your fingers, you saw how it looked expensive. It was red and gold with a silver lining in the middle. There seemed to be a bit of weight to it too.

"Yeah, you lost me." You gave him a small smile. In a way you were embarrassed. There was no need to be, but in your head, he was still the strongest among all of you in the Capo.

"No wonder you're only in second spot."

You scoffed at his remark. Giving him a small punch on the shoulder, he laughed and took the box from you. He opened it and you saw a letter. It was small but the letters were eligible. This was a familiar sight but you weren't too sure. Prepping yourself up a bit, you took a peak at the letter.

"What does it say?"

Squinting his eyes a bit, you gave him a few seconds to internalize the letter.

"It says that the Capo will be here in a few days time. He has some business with the MP."

Your eyebrows furrowed a bit. Staring at the pillbox was all too coincidental. Cassian, if that's his real name, was way too friendly for your taste.

"Where'd you get that by the way?"

"I know you don't trust me, (Y/N). I just conveniently barge into your life and introduce myself. Now, I'm talking to you and it just so happens that I, of all people found this box." He ruffled his hair and a tinge of pink appeared on his cheeks. Lifting his gaze up to look at you, he smiled a bit. "It was Commander Nile who gave this to me. You may not be aware but a lot of people want him gone, the Capo."

"Commander Nile? Nile Dawk?"

"Yeah. When Commander Erwin and I ta--"

The building behind him exploded as the two titan shifters landed a few meters from the two of you. Luckily, both you and him were able to evade the ruble by maneuvering away. Sadly, the sudden burst of wind caused him to let go of the pillbox and letter.

Landing on a building, you met up with Jean who was relieved to see you were alright. His expression morphed into annoyance and curiosity as he saw who you were with.

"Oi, Finn."

"Wassup, Kirstein?"

"You two know each other?"

The two tall men stared at each other, nodding in unison. This was in a way an expected surprise but the Survey Corps were a not too big bunch. Jean also liked talking with others when he was in the mood or maybe he and Armin must suspect him of something, so you thought. Hoping it was the former, you shrugged off whatever conversation they had.

Now that all of you had a much better view of Eren and Annie, all of you saw how Eren had finally pinned Annie to the ground, before he could take her out, she started to crystallize her body. All your jaws dropped as Eren's titan started to merge with the crystal. Lucky for him, a raven haired man swooped in to rescue him.

Seeing Levi rescue Eren caused your stomach to do a small somersault. Just staring at him made your heart beat a little bit faster.

"Any longer and you'll burst from being red, doll face." Jean pinched your cheek, stopping your train of thought. You gave him a glare but smiled still the same.

"Shut it."

The three of you separated as you made your way to Hange who was admiring the crystallized Annie. You've never seen her eyes sparkle that brightly since Sawny and Bean were captured. Taking a handkerchief, you threw it at her face. Moblit shook his head with amusement. Hange simply accepted it while wiping her face, not a hint of gracefulness in her actions. Keiji was there as well, trying to break the crystal but ultimately failed when Hange instructed him to stop.

"Take her to the HQ, deep underground. There's a containment area waiting for her." She instructed as the Annie was being wheeled out.

"You know what this means Hange?"

"More experiments?" She said jumping up and down like a little kid.

"No. It means more paper work for us."

She bowed her head and nodded in defeat. No one liked paperwork, save for Erwin. The fact that the mission was a fail would mean a weeks worth. Both of you could already feel the tension on your shoulders from having to sign and report each scenario that had happened.

Looking up, Hange saw Mikasa. She seemed to be staring in the distance while absorbing the colors of the fast approaching sunset. Her eyes darted to what seemed like a whole in the wall.

"W-what?"

Everyone's jaw dropped. No one had any words to say. In front of them was the face of a titan, inside the crack.

The pupils moved and stared at them causing each person to panic. Hange felt a hand on her shoulder. Surprisingly, a pastor had survived the fall of that particular church.

"C-cover that titan. It must not be exposed..."

Not long after, the face was being covered and Hange made her way up. Just as you were about to approach the Eren, you saw Cassian call for you. Not taking your eyes off him, you went towards the mahogany haired male.

"Yeah?"

"We have to stay behind."

"Wh-Why?" You raised your brow at the sudden news.

Cassian looked around to make sure that no one was listening. He leaned near your ear to whisper.

"We're meeting Aiden. In 3 days, he'll come here to tell us about the plans."

By now, you were not comfortable with the situation unfolding. It was all going too fast.

"I mean, okay but can we talk to Commander Erwin about this?"

"Sure. I asked if we could meet him now."

Turning his back, he lead the way to the commander's office. With his back facing you, you couldn't help but look around your surroundings. There were a few city folks absorbing the wreckage of the city, but other than that, nothing. Slowly moving one foot and the other, you followed Cassian.

You were thankful that you knew where his office was. It gave you a sense of relief knowing Cassian was heading there as well. By the time you reached the door, you heard soft mumbling behind. There were other people involved? You felt your heart pounding as Cassian opened the doors for you.

Inside the room were Jean, Armin, Hange, Levi, and Commander Erwin.

"Have a seat, Cassian. (Y/N)." Commander Erwin instructed as the two of you gave a firm salute.

Sitting beside Hange, you held onto her hand. She knew you were anxious of the news to come. She held your hand in return and stared at the short captain. She smirked at Levi. Levi glared at her.

"As you all might be aware, we are the only group of people who know about Cadet Finn's and Cadet (L/N)'s past. Today, Cadet Finn here has received intel that the Capocrimine will be arriving here. In 3 days time." Commander Erwin said. His elbows rested on his desk, fingers interlaced.

"Permission to speak, Commander?" You asked.

He gave you an affirmative nod.

"What exactly is your business with the Capo?"

His eyes darted to Cassian, who in turn gave him a small smile. Most likely permission to speak.

"A few years back, when we had captured Redsummer, he gave us a name."

"And that name was, me!" Cassian added while pinching your cheek.

"It's quite a long story to be honest. But for now, we must focus on the matter at hand." His ocean blue eyes darted to each one of you in the room. "Hange, Levi, Cadets. All of you will stay here for the mean time and get more intel on the Capo."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> a/n:
> 
> Sorry this took a while to post and that the ending seemed a bit rushed :3 Procrastination got to me~
> 
> and damn son. 500+ reads :) thank you all so much and I do hope that the story still peaks your interest :)
> 
> have a happy holiday ahead :)


	28. Getting to Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You converse with everything and the day ends with a towel fight, sort of.

A day had passed since the meeting you had with the commander. Because of the nature of the new mission and how it was inserted into schedule, all of you were given a deadline. Should nothing happen in a span of 4 days, all of you should head back to Trost and proceed with the preparations of the next expedition.

If you had it your way, you would rather be placed inside the barracks of the MP's but for safety reasons, and most likely political, all of you had to stay in some random inn.

Speaking of inns, your cheeks couldn't help but fire up when you entered your room. Biting your inner cheek, you felt a smile creep up your lip as you stared blankly into a wall. Slapping yourself mentally, you sat down on the small coffee table and began reviewing the notes.

As you re-read the notes, you slowly took off your boots. Placing one foot on the chair and using your knees as an armrest, you continued reading and internalizing the plan.

So far, Commander Erwin and Cassian, whom you decided to call Cas for short, made a plan that was in line with their view on things. All you people had to do now was to wait for Aiden to see if everything was set in place.

Minutes passed and you were sick of reading the plan. It was a relatively quiet afternoon. Standing up to look at the view from the window, you saw MP's gathering the remaining debris littered on the streets. But, it was business as usual.

"(Y/N)!!"

"Holy Maria! Hange! Knock!"

Hange scratched the back of her neck as she closed the doors she barged into. Wrapped in her arms were thick sheets of paper. You felt a cringe climb up your spine. Slamming them next to the plan of action papers, she sat down and took her glasses off.

"But in all honesty, I needed to talk to you about something."

Sitting on the edge of your bed you shrugged your shoulders to give her the signal to talk. Before she proceeded, she stared at the door to make sure it was locked.

"It's about Cassian."

"Yeah?"

"I'm pretty sure you feel it but he's... something else. Though it's true that it was his name that Redsummer gave, it's wise not to fully trust him. It's been quite some time now that he's been with us. Erwin never bothered telling me and Levi that he had found him."

"Also, how did you guys not know about him being part of the Survey Corp?"

"Well... It does add up. I recall how Erwin left for a personal mission a few years back. He bought Cassian with him all prim and proper. I thought it was some kind of democrat meeting he was joining, next thing I knew, Cassian was now part of the 103rd trainees."

"It's happening too fast, glasses."

"I agree. But, with the help of the MP, we're bound to have results. Even if they are a bunch of lazy asses."

"What's with the MP being in on this?"

Hange let out a sigh. Resting her cheek on her palm, her eyes darted from you to the window. She took a piece of paper and pen. Scribbling her signature as she spoke once more.

"There's a rumor going on that the Capo has it's eyes set on General Zackly."

You choked on air as Hange finished her sentence.

This was something new. Granted that it had been years since you last updated yourself with the Capo, tangling themselves with the military was a new feat. Yet, it had occurred to your mind. Had the structure changed over the last years? Was that the reason why Aiden and Cas left? And why Zackly of all people?

Letting out a 'tsk', you walked towards Hange and proceeded with the paperwork.

Barely an hour passed and Hange had already fallen asleep. You hadn't realized till you heard soft snoring beside you. Still, Hange was still able to do paper work and that itself was progress. Knowing that she'd rather do experiments, you quickly finished the remaining stacks of paper.

Stretching after you signed the last one. You carried Hange to your bed, with a little struggle because she was a tad bit taller than you. She was a deep sleeper so being a little rough was okay. Pulling the blanket over her, you nodded at your work and left your room to take a little stroll.

The sun was now setting and you were admiring the colors the sky had to offer. Though to be honest, you'd rather walk in the streets of Trost knowing that the passing people wouldn't give you funny stares. It also entered your mind that some people might recognize you and bail you out. Making your way back to the inn, you saw Armin and Jean buying some food.

"Hey."

"Heya doll face." Jean greeted with a smile.

Armin, being the silent type, chose to give you a closed eye smile. Each boy was carrying a paper bag filled with goods.

"Just walking, you guys heading back to the inn?"

"I still have to run to the library but Jean's going back."

Taking the heavy bag from Armin's arms, you commanded him to rush to the library before they could close. Giving you his thanks, he walks back to the streets leaving you and Jean alone.

"How's your wound by the way?"

"Never better, It's slow but def healing."

"D'you eat already?"

"Nah. I'm not too hungry." You paused and chewed your inner cheek. "Uh, Jean-boy?"

"Hm?"

"How did you know Cas?"

"Finn? Well, he's usually there when it's stable duty."

"Oh. He gets in trouble a lot?"

"I've had stable duty with him, I guess, 5 times? What does that say?"

You curled your lips as the two of you entered the inn. Passing by the restaurant, you saw a few customers having early dinner and early drinks as well. Silently, you hoped that the scenery later wouldn't get too rowdy. Dropping the food off in Jean and Armin's room, you proceeded to head back to your room.

Slowly opening the door, you still saw Hange sleeping on your bed.

Thinking of what to do next, you went to the restaurant to have some dinner. While waiting for the food to be served, you listened in on the conversations going around. Another habit of yours was to eavesdrop on conversations random people had. Some were just plain lewd or others made up a good laugh. Tonight's conversation were mostly drunken slurs.

"Spying on someone?"

Tearing your ears from the crowd, you saw Cas sitting on the chair across from you. He had a glass of water accompanying him. His eyes went from you to the crowd around you both.

"Looking for someone?" Giving him a smirk, you leaned lazily on your chair and crossed your arms on your chest.

"Why aren't you in your room?"

"Hange's sleeping and it's my way of rewarding her of doing paper work."

"Ah, I see. Such a good cadet."

Rolling your eyes, you instantly smiled when the server arrived with your food. Feeling a bit guilty, you placed the dish in the middle and asked for an extra pair of utensils. It wasn't everyday that you soldiers get to eat (favorite/food). When the server arrived, Cas accepted the utensils and thanked you for the food.

There was a bit of small talk going on between the two of you. Mostly about how your lives were prior to the Capo.

"So were you really an aristocrat? Like what the rumors say?" You asked with a mouthful of food.

"In a way, yeah. Being born rich was fine. But I got tired of it so I decided to live on my own for a good while. When I got linked, I realized the importance of connections so I swallowed my pride and went back to mother."

"How did you and Commander Erwin meet? If I may ask?"

"He caught me at a party." There was a slight tease at his answer. Squinting your eyes a bit, you brushed it off and continued to eat.

"I am curious though..."

"About?"

"What's with you and Captain Levi?"

'Seriously? That question again?' You complained in your head.

"Captain and cadet. Nothing much too it. Why?"

"I didn't know that stoic shorty's are your type. Always thought it was tall, mahogany-haired males." He teased while pointing his fork at you.

"Oh yeah? And with blue eyes?" You played along since it was honestly funny for the both of you.

"Yep!"

"Well well. I guess you two are acquainted now, ey?"

Turning both your heads, you saw a sandy-blonde boy approach your table. Dragging a chair from the table across, he sat down and snatched your fork away from you.

"You arrived early." Cas commented.

"Nothing much to do. And I wanted to talk with the commander, just to make sure."

The two men started to have a conversation as you simply stared at them.

That scene in front of you pulled a few strings. That used to be your life. Sneaking meetings to gather information, rounding up civilians to get supplies, and of course making your hands dirty with crimson liquid. The fact that all three of you were having such a lighthearted conversation was all too good to be true.

None of you were in fear of being caught. Yes, your guards were always up, but eating food at a restaurant with a bunch of people was always a no-no when it came to the Capo. Stay hidden, that was the motto.

A snap of a finger broke your thoughts.

"Earth to (Y/N)? You okay?"

"Yeah, but I'm getting a bit sleepy. I'll head on up, aight?" You replied as you stood up and placed a few coins on the table. "We're splitting the bill, just so you know."

The two boys groaned and complied. However, they stayed behind to have a little talk. Both their eyes were on you as you went up the stairs to the rooms.

"Same old, KS."

"Indeed, Redsum. Indeed."

They proceeded with their small talk.

Upstairs, you took a chance at Hange's room. Just as you opened the door, you felt the temperature increase. The window in her room was smaller compared to yours. Ventilation wasn't all that good. Understanding why she went to you was a smart plan and trick on her part. Shaking your head in amusement, you went towards Jean and Armin's room.

It dawned on you that they only had 2 beds and you didn't want any of them to sleep on the floor. There was no way you wanted to crash in Cas' room. With no other option, you dragged your feet to Levi's room.

"Captain?"

"What?"

"Can I come in?"

There was silence on the other side. After a few minutes, you were greeted with a sweaty and panting captain.

Not being able to help it, your eyes traveled down to his torso. His sweat caused his shirt to cling to his skin and that was a holy sight you wanted more of. Noticing how you were staring to much, he kicked your shin lightly.

"Are you coming in or what?"

You jumped a bit and entered his wide room. Sitting on the edge of his bed, you stared at how he was wiping the sweat off his face and arms.

'Holy Rose. Thank you for blessing me with this sight.' You thought to yourself.

"Well? What do you want?" He spoke up. Leaning against the wall with his wet towel draped on his shoulder. He was still panting but much more controlled now. His raven hair had beads of sweat on their tips. Some fell down and met his shirt. The room was a little hot from his exercising. Not that you minded.

"I need a space to crash."

"Huh?"

"Hange fell asleep on my bed. Her room's too hot. So I'm using yours." You said it so fast while making yourself comfortable in his bed. Making sure that your back was facing him, you hugged the second pillow and closed your eyes hoping he wouldn't throw you out.

"The actual fuck? Go to her room, brat."

"But we slept together, didn't we?"

"Not with the other cadets around."

"..."

"Oi."

You covered your ears with the pillow. You agreed in your head that you would go back to your room and just sleep on the floor. The actions you were doing now was to simply annoy the short captain.

"Did you not hear me?" His voice was much nearer now.

You felt the bed dip with his weight as he forcefully took the pillow away from you. Staring at him with wide eyes, you covered your eyes and turned over.

"Nope. I don't see anyone here. I can sleep in this room." By now, you were smiling and just enjoying the attention you secretly yearned for.

"Out."

"No."

Hearing Levi's sigh of defeat was music to your ears. But it was all too soon when you felt the air being sucked out of you. The drenched towel that was draped on his shoulder, found it's way to your face.

"GAH! What the fuck?" You grabbed the towel and threw it at his face. "That is just gross, Levi!"

You were rewarded with a smirk. Seeing your reaction, he took the wet towel and grabbed both your hands with his free one. Trying to wiggle out of his grasp was difficult. He dropped the towel on your neck and proceeded to wipe your face with it. You didn't even notice that he was now straddling you.

Laughing at what was happening, you tried to squirm out of his weight but it was useless. It was time you admitted defeat.

"Okay! Okay. I'll leave." You sighed with a smile.

He threw the towel to the chair and re-positioned himself. He laid down and lifted you up a bit, wrapping his arms around your waist while he was still on top of you. You placed your arms on his shoulders while he nuzzled on to your chest.

"I thought you wanted me to leave?" You were now whispering as you softly scratched his sweaty undercut.

"Nah. You stay with me you little shit."

"Can you first bathe though? You're way too sticky for my liking..." You tried your best to remain composed at the green sentence you had just stated.

Levi gave a soft hum and removed his embrace. Lifting his body a little, you were now face to face with the gray eyes you were missing. There was that familiar hint of mischief to it. You could feel your heart beat start to race. Heat was now making it's home run to your cheeks, once again.

He leaned in to your ear and whispered...

"Shower with me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> a/n:
> 
> Aye. Now to weigh the options of the next chapter :3 
> 
> Have a nice day, ya'll! :)
> 
> Merry christmas and happy birthday to my levi :*


	29. Let's shower (Lime)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally. That's all there is to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n:
> 
> if you don't like reading sexual things :) feel free to skip this out~ it won't really affect the story anyway :)
> 
> \- - - - -

So, there you were.

Butt naked in the shower.

Eyes closed shut while Levi was behind you.

Though you weren't one to lie. You followed his lead right after he took his shirt off. The moment the two of you stepped in, he slowly took yours off and folded it on the small counter available. None of you taking your eyes off each other. Feeling dizzy from all the heat, you desperately clung to the corners of the counter as the raven haired captain slid his pants off.

You recalled the moment when he told you to take your own undergarments off. A few seconds later, you were now facing the shower knobs. 

'How did I end up here? Oh my walls. Oh my freaking walls.' You kept repeating to yourself. With an avid beating heart and a slight trembling to your body, you felt Levi's fingers trace your bare back. The way his finger went up and down along with the shower water running down your body was a little too much for you too handle. Any longer and you would surely cause your inner lip to bleed.

Levi stepped forward and caused his skin to touch yours. Hearing your breath hitch caused him to let out a satisfied hum. He extended his arms and purposely brushed his skin on yours as he took the soap and turned the shower off with the other.

"Relax, brat. I won't do anything you don't want me to do."

"Then, why am I here?"

"Beats me. You went in here with your own free will."

He started to lather your back with soap. It was a pleasant yet foreign feeling for the both of you. Letting out an exhale, you managed to relax yourself, a bit.

"Soap yourself then do my back, Cadet (L/N)."

Complying with his orders, you soaped your naked body and slowly turned to face him.

How does one describe Levi's back? Well, it was enough to make you cry out a silent 'OH MY FUCKING WALL!'. There was a lot of tension in the air at this point. No matter what you did, you just couldn't cut it.

"I, uh, walls how do I say this? I'll soap you now...?" And so you began soaping his godly sculpted back, all while biting the corner of your lip. Lathering the soap on his shoulder blade made you realize just how hard his muscles were. Whatever he lacked in height, he truly made up for it with his marble like cuts.

It would be a lie if nasty thoughts weren't running through your head.

Being with your crush. In a shower. Naked. If the was water running, it would probably be enough to drown out any lewd sounds coming from the two of you, should anything happen. Plus, it had been some time since you went to his room. Your fellow cadets were probably sleeping.

You hadn't noticed that Levi turned around and was now facing you.

Feeling his index finger lift your chin, you snapped back to reality. He glided his arm around your waist and pulled you in closer. You let out a small squeak when his chest collided with yours. Feeling your knees getting numb, you grabbed on to his forearm.

Feeling something twitch in between your legs made all your blood flow go towards your face. Breathing was becoming extremely difficult under the gaze of his silver eyes.

Taking the soap from your hand, he placed it back to where he took it. Turning the shower on once more made you jump a little. The cold water suddenly making contact with your skin caused a little moan to escape your mouth.

"Are you still uncomfortable?"

"More or less, yeah..." You curled your upper lip while nodding your head. Yet, your eyes found their way to his chest. The way each bubble slid down was mesmerizing in it's own way.

"What's making you hold back?"

"I dunno. The fact that all of us are in the same floor. Our rooms are literally right across each other."

"I can stop teasing, if you want."

"W-wait..." Your eyes shot back to his. You wanted to say more but your mind was going blank. Each of your fingers felt as if a jolt of electricity made them numb. Looking down, you realized he was now massaging a bit of your side-boob. Slowly taking his time to the center. "F-fuck. What if t-they k-knock or what if Ha-ah-ange barges in?"

He stopped massaging and leaned in closer to you.

"Let her."

"Holy shit."

Looking back at your amazingly flushed face, Levi knew you were trying your best to compose yourself and take hold of the situation at hand. He had you at his palms, not even figuratively anymore. The way your (e/c) eyes showed him that you were assessing the scenario made him smirk.

"Well?"

"Ahhh~ fuck you!" You whined as you wrapped your arms around his neck.

The moment you latched yourself to his torso, he immediately held your ass to support your weight. Shifting to his good leg, he balanced you as he turned the shower off. Stepping out he leaned you against the wall to open the door. There was a hint of struggle since his body told him not to break the kiss or open his eyes to ruin the moment.

Finally opening the door, he carried you all the way and tossed you to his bed.

"Tch. You're making my bed wet, you brat."

"Oh, cut the crap, Ackerman!" You hissed as he resumed kissing you.

Using his knees to spread your legs, he positioned himself in between your trembling legs. Levi sucked on your lower lip a few good seconds before releasing them. Slowly, he traveled down to your neck. Kissing and licking alternatively. Waiting for you to show him where your sweet spot was.

Each second that passed, you felt yourself getting wetter and wetter. Feeling his tongue on your neck gave you the pleasure you've been longing for for quite some time now. The way he lifted you up to wrap his arm around you, causing your sensitive spot to brush the tip of his throbbing member, made you let out a sharp exhale.

You felt a stinging yet pleasurable pain on your neck, causing you too sink your nails on Levi's back. He sucked on your neck once more to muffle out his groan. 

After maybe 3 or 4 hickeys, he slowly made his way down. His eyes glued to yours as crawled lower and lower.

Letting out an exhale as he reached your now hardened nipples. He flicked his tongue causing you to squirm a bit. Seeing your reaction, he began massaging your chest as he nipped and sucked on the other. Occasionally, he would look at you. He would marvel at how he was making you feel. Heating a moan escape your mouth again, he bit and sucked a little harder. Of course, he showed the other one as much attention as the other. 

Making his way even lower, he trailed kisses on your abdomen. His eyes darted to the soaked bandage that he mentally promised to change later. Seeing how your tummy was rising and falling made his member twitch with hunger. He wanted more and more he was about to get.

With his face now in between your legs, you prepped yourself on your elbows to watch him do his work. The amount of lust overflowing from his eyes made your hairs stand. You tried to regain your breath but the way he took control of you was making it way too hard.

"If I do this, there's no stopping me, (Y/N)..."

"D-do it."

"Huh, I said that before. Well played." He blessed with you with a devilish smirk and licked your slit.

You fell back once more and felt all ticklish. Grabbing onto the damp blue sheets, you tried controlling your moans to not let the others hear you.

Levi licked the corners of your slit and sucked on them as well. He would go fast and slow. Up and down. Seeing as your clit was now swollen, he made sure to nibble a bit before sucking causing you to squish his face with your thighs. Holding your thighs to give him easier access, he pushed his tongue in and out of your drenched hole.

He shifted his weight to his elbow and sucked on his middle finger. All while looking at you. When your eyes met his, he gave you a wink and proceeded. His middle finger found it's way inside causing you to let out a rather loud moan this time. That was music to his hears. Thrusting his finger in and out made him feel just how wet you were for him.

Each movement caused your breath to become uneven. You were a panting mess at this point. Feeling your stomach start to clench, you gripped on the sheets even more until you suddenly lost the sensation.

Opening your eyes, you saw Levi sucking his finger clean while making his way back up to face you.

"What the fuck was that for, Ackerman?"

"It's way too early, (L/N)."

He kissed you once more. This time, you were the one who asked for entry. Willingly, he gave you permission. For once, he made sure you were the dominant one in his mouth. Seeing it as an opportunity, he bit your tongue and gave it a good sucking. In return, you bit and sucked his too.

"Show me your tongue, (L/N)."

Sticking your tongue out, his eyes widened. Shaking his head with amusement, he leaned down and gave it a kiss. Blinking with confusion, you gave him a face and he simply shrugged his shoulders. Squinting your eyes, you saw how his tongue seemed to be a bit bruised. Seeing how he reacted, you had a feeling your tongue was the same as his.

"Ready?"

"B-but I didn't give yo--"

"Tonight, it's all about you, (Y/N)."

A short kiss was planted before he pushed his torso up to give himself better angle to enter. He spit on his to cock to make sure it would be less painful on your part. Before he was about to enter, he looked at you.

"Have you done this before?"

"No. Have you?"

"Nope."

"That's gotta be a l-"

You felt his length slowly enter you. It was painful, but not too much. He fell on to you. Slowly and carefully making his way in. Seeing how you were in a bit of pain, he began whispering sweet nothings into your ear. After a few thrusts, he was now fully in.

Being able to feel his cock inside you was indeed euphoric. Being able to feel Levi this close you, skin to skin, was nothing you had ever imagined. The way he slid in and out of you made you feel good in all levels. Hearing his grunts and pants made you feel contented knowing that this 'session' would not be a one time thing.

His hand searched for yours. Once he found it, he held on to it as each thrust of his grew deeper and faster. Both of you could hear your skins bouncing off each other. Lifting your hip caused you to let out a pleasured sound. Levi seemed to like it since he snaked his arm in the space under and brought you closer to his body.

Not being able to contain yourself anymore, you let out moans and whimpers with each thrust he gave you.

A few minutes in and you a wave of warmth rising up to your abdomen all the way to your chest. It felt as if you were on the very edge waiting to explode.

"Holy shit... Levi~?"

He gave no response. He simply stared into your eyes waiting for you to speak.

"F-fuck~"

Before he could speak, he felt your walls collapse and contract on his member inside you.

The moment you let go, you felt as if a tidal wave of pleasure hit your body hard. Each thrust given to you became much more sensitive. Once more you dug your nails into his back and chest as he rode out your orgasm. Riding it out, you couldn't help but arch your back as you moaned out your convulsions.

With each moan you let out, Levi felt his heart pounding even more. His whole body was now wrapped up in anticipation, excitement, and lust knowing you had just came all over his dick. He could feel his mind starting to go blank and he finally let go as well. In that very moment, he felt ecstatic and high.

Each of his thrust became sloppier by the second. He let out a grunt and groan as he came inside you. Still being able to hear you moan, he let himself in you three more times before pulling himself out.

When he pulled himself out, one small wave of pleasure hit you before you felt Levi turn you on your side to wrap his arms around you.

He leaned his forehead on yours as he gathered himself. Opening his eyes, he was met with hazy (e/c) staring at him adoringly. Not being able to help it, he gave you a small smile before kissing your forehead.

"H-have I," He cleared his throat. "Have I told you that I like you?"

You let out a small giggle and hugged him tighter.

"No. But I think you just did."

"You're mine. Got that?"

"Yes sir!"

The two of you chuckled together as you felt sleepy from what the two of you had done. Gently patting your sweaty back, you wrapped your leg around his. He did the same as well.

Before the two of you could drift off, an unwanted sound made its presence.

Knock. Knock.

Lifting your head up, you managed to see how Levi's face scrunched up with annoyance and tiredness. It was too cute not to pass out a laugh.

"What?!"

"Hey! Shortstack?! Have you seen (Y/N)?"

He opened his eyes and looked at you. He thought about his reply or what Hange might do.

"Shorty?! I'm worried! Open the door!"

The doors started to rattle.

"Damn it." Levi muttered as he grabbed the blanket to cover your sweaty naked bodies. "She's with me, four-eyes! Now go back to your room!"

There was silence on the other side. Levi laid back down and continued to wrap his arms around you. Thinking that Hange had left, you snaked your arms to his torso. A smile forming in your face, that got lost within a matter of seconds.

Hange had managed to break the hinges and squealed as she saw Levi's scratched up back with your hands around his waist. Seeing that you were safely wrapped under his blanket made her nod in contentment.

"I knew it! I can't wait to tell Erwin!"

Both of you chose not to bother her anymore. Hearing that she finally closed the door, the two of you fell into a deep sleep. Fully relaxed and with no care in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> a/n:
> 
> that took a day to write holy crap.
> 
> so yes, i made it soft since i set up the fact that levi and y/n are virgins :) why did i make levi a virgin? because i think him not being one doesnt quite fit his back story xD at least that's how i look at him hehehe.
> 
> how did you feel while reading? drop a comment to let me know :)
> 
> take care! :)


	30. Trio Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aiden, Cas, and You have a talk.

A few hours had passed when you and Levi woke up. The realization of him and you under the same covers was more than enough to make your face extremely red in the morning. More so when he woke up due to your sudden movement. Being greeted a good morning by him caused you to bite your inner lip but you made sure to control it. Not now. Perhaps later...

All of you were now gathered in the restaurant to have breakfast and a recall as to what the plans are now that Aiden was there to share his side.

Letting your hair down, you made sure to hide any visible hickeys to avoid interrogation. 

"So... How was your sleep, (Y/N)?" Hange asked while wiggling her eyebrows.

"I slept like a baby. Thank you very much." You replied as you took a spoon full of potatoes.

"Good for you. Some random room kept us up all night, right Armin?" Jean added with his eyebrow raised up. Instantly, he knew what Hange had meant.

Poor Armin almost choked on his water as he stuttered a reply to Jean's question.

Levi remained stoic as ever. Not bothering to react to their constant teasing. Instead, his eyes remained glued to the two people he still considered as strangers.

"Oi. Cadet Finn, are there any changes to the plan?"

Cas lifted his head. Levi scrunched his face when he saw bits of potatoes and eggs on the corner of his lips. He somehow regretted on agreeing to have the meeting in the morning during breakfast. After Cas swallowed his food and drank a glass of water, he placed his index finger beneath his chin in hopes to look smart while thinking of what to say next.

"Well, as of the moment, there isn't that much changes. Aiden and I talked and discussed it but so far whatever changes he needed to make, weren't necessary anymore."

"How so?"

"Infiltration is the game were playing on." Aiden inserted himself in the dialogue. "Commander Erwin seemed to have made a well thought out plan we should carry. If there is one small change we need to implement, it would have to be the grouping when we head out."

Everyone had finished eating breakfast by now. Seeing that each all eyes were on him, he continued with the explanation.

"So the thing with the grouping is that, for me at least, it's too obvious. Separating us three would be the first thing the Capo would think we would do."

"Or maybe your just using this as an opportunity?" Hange remarked.

"He has a point, Hange." You replied. "A lot of people saw you guys during the battle of Trost, that being MP's and civilians alike. It would seem too obvious. But, knowing that the three of us would enter, it's a risk on our part but better on us than on all of you."

"Hell no. That would make you way too vulnerable..." Jean snarled while trying his best to keep his voice down.

"Actually, the more vulnerable they are, the more believable it would be if they just went in." Armin thought out loud.

Slowly noticing that the restaurant was getting a bit more crowded, Cas, Aiden, and you started to survey the area for any faces that would seem out of place. All the while still trying to look into the conversations going on.

If the right people could see that the three big shots were sharing a table with Survey Corps members, it would immediately cause the plan of action to falter. With Levi, or Humanities Strongest, only made things more suspicious. All three of you caught each others eyes and blinked for confirmation that you all thought the same thing.

"Any more important things to share?" Levi sliced the silence that had surrounded the group.

Aiden simply shrugged.

Within moments, the group dispersed and went back upstairs to do whatever it is they needed to do.

Both Levi and you made sure that the group had a head start in climbing the stairs. Slowly, you could feel his fingers brushing against yours. Glancing his way, you gave him a reassuring smile that everything was alright. Knowing for sure that Hange was observing both of your movements, he nodded and distanced himself from you.

This time, you were now alone in your room. Luckily, Hange had been kind enough to arrange the bed she slept on.

Seeing the bed, you couldn't help but feel a longing to enter Levi's room and just stay there till the plan would commence. Shaking your head to focus, you dropped to the bed and closed your eyes to take a small nap.

Just as sleep was about to take over, three knocks were heard causing you to stand up and answer.

"Cas? Aiden?"

"May we come in?" Cas whispered as Aiden was glancing at the hallway making sure that no one was around.

With a bit of hesitation, you let the two boys in.

"You can leave the door open by 3 inches if it makes you feel better." Aiden assured you as he took the seat by the small coffee table. You agreed and left it open by a crack.

Cas had grabbed the chair near the window that way all of you would be facing each other in the small round table. As practiced, the three of you placed your palms flat on the table. Somehow, this scene still made you break out a small smile.

It was a bit nostalgic, though. Sitting on a table with members of the Capo. This would be the first time all of you would hold a conversation that did not involve gun point.

"What's up?"

"First things first, I managed to find my dad."

Your eyes widened with shock and relief. Visibly slumping your shoulders, you let out some air and nodded to make Aiden proceed.

"He really was with the Capo. Though sad to say that I only saw him from a distance..." There was sadness in his voice. Somehow you knew that he wanted to do more but chose not to. "He was beat up but not too much."

"He's alive. That's all that matters." Cas comforted the sandy-blonde male.

"But that's not what I wanted to share.When I was able to pinpoint where the Capo would stay, there was a carriage that seemed to be guarded by some high ranked MP's. I thought it was nothing too much till I caught a glimpse of crates."

"Crates? Like, wooden crates?" You asked, a little confused but anxious.

"Seven to be exact."

Your eyes seemed to be looking for something to hold on to. Each breath you took seemed to become a little labored. Feeling your fingers tremble, you clenched them and bit your inner cheek to remind yourself nothing comes out of panicking.

"Why are you telling me this, Aiden?"

"Because we need to get your guns away from them."

"I mean, even an idiot would know that." Cas commented. He flinched when he saw the death glare you had given him.

"The disadvantage is that, I have no idea where they took them. Or if it's even what you think it is."

"Wait..." You felt your heart skip a beat. "I never told any of you that my guns went missing..."

"Well... About that." Cas slowly spoke up. Fear was starting to show in his face. "I, uhh, took them."

"From my room? How did you enter? How did you even find me?"

"I broke your door down. And... a certain old friend of mine told me about it. In hopes that it would be kept safe."

You felt your heart being pulled. Old friend? There was only one person in your mind.

"S-she's alive?"

"Alive and well. I arrived right on time before the building was sliced."

Despite his story following the timeline of events, you still couldn't feel sure if he was indeed telling the truth or just taking gambles with his answers.

"You're too easy to read, (Y/N)... If you'd like, we can visit Gertrude. I placed her 3 blocks from this inn. I met up with her yesterday and she wants to see you. Heck, she almost got us squished since she wouldn't dare leave without (h/n)." Cas added as he rolled his eyes at the memory of having to force an old woman to move. Only to let her ride a horse bare back till they were away from all the ruckus.

"H-how do you know Gertrude?"

"I think it's better if you ask her yourself, ain't that right?" He gave you a small smile as he reached into his pocket. Placing it on the desk, Aiden and you stared at the folded piece of paper. It was small but enough for it to contain a letter.

Your name was inscribed and you knew who that penmanship belonged to. With a hitch in your breath, you took and placed it in your pocket. You would need privacy to read Gertrude's letter.

"And one more thing..." Aiden sliced up the building tension. "We have to discuss something only you can do once we manage to enter..."

"And that is?"

"You have to turn when the time comes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> a/n
> 
> OH MY GOSH LEVI IS BACK!!! YESSS IM SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW T.T AFTER 10 CHAPTERS~
> 
> ANYWAY :) just a small cliff hanger for ya'll :) next chapter will be uploaded tomorrow!
> 
> Take care and have a nice day! <3


	31. Confusion and Lots of Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aiden, Cas, and you continue the talk only leaving you in a much more confused state. Luckily, comfort is there when you need it.

"Huh?"

"There will come a moment where you will be given a choice. When that happens, you have to prove that you are on their side. It won't be just you. It'll be all three of us."

"Hold up... Why?" You felt anger starting to take over. The thought of having to become part of the Capo, even if it were all an act was enough to give you goosebumps and the want to puke.

"There is a flaw in the plan. And only one. If we fail to make them think that we are on their side, the plan would go down. Putting all of us in danger." Cas answered.

None of the two men were keeping eye contact with you.

"The fact that none of you are looking at me makes me want to back out." By now, your voice was now a level higher. Still, you made sure that none of your friends could hear what conversation you three were having. The only good thing you saw out of this conversation was you could be blunt with your thoughts.

"There's no other way." Aiden replied. There was a hint of sadness in his voice and a look of remorse in his face, yet you knew people could easily fake that.

"What happens if I don't?"

"It would be the end for us. Hopefully, the rest can escape but not guaranteed that they would leave unharmed."

"Say that all goes well... what happens then?"

"The plan continues but it would depend on us three."

"Why can't we tell them? Why can't we tell the others? I only just managed to build myself again. Doing this would only break the trust."

"It's not just you. I'm being tied to Commander Erwin. I'm in deeper shit than you could ever be."

Your mind by now was all over the place. Somehow, you needed to come up with something in private that way you could guarantee everyone's safety. As to what it was, you would have to exert effort to think of one.

"Is there really no other way?"

"As of now, I can't think of any." Aiden said as he dropped his sight from yours.

With nothing else to talk about the two boys stood up and left you in your room. Before stepping out, they listened to their surroundings to make sure that none of the surrounding rooms heard any of the conversation that had happened. Once they stepped out, you heard the doors close and let out a breath you hadn't realized you were holding.

You started tapping your fingers on the wooden table.

Weighing each possibility and outcome was never your forte.

If worse comes to worse, you would have to use the same guns you built on the Capo. Despite being bad people, they didn't deserve to be shot. It had also dawned to you that what if, you would hesitate in pulling the trigger. Titans were one thing, people are another.

You stood up and started to pace back and forth.

Not even thinking about it, you found yourself knocking at Levi's door.

"Name?"

"It's me... Can I come in?"

After a few seconds, you heard his footsteps coming towards the door. Next thing you knew, you were now face to face with a drowsy Levi.

"Did I wake you, captain?" You gave him a small smile. It was always amusingly cute seeing him in that state.

"Not so much, come in..."

Entering yourself and making your way straight to his bed. You sat at the edge and waited for him to sit beside you.

"Well? What is it?"

'Oh he's being cold...' You thought to yourself. Though you were used to his stoic and emotionless demeanor, you wished he would be a little softer.

"Just a lot of things on my mind."

"Like?"

'The fact that you will all see that I will turn my back, that's what's on my mind.' That's what you wanted to say but you bit your tongue instead.

"Have I told you, I like you back?" Cringing at your answer, you shook your head and laughed at yourself. Even Levi would now feel that something was bothering you.

"Oi. Brat. Tell me."

"It's nothing really. A lot of things are on my mind. That's all."

"Why not go to Hange?"

There was a bit of pain when you heard it come from his mouth. But he was right. Hange would have much better reactions than this. This was something you knew would happen but hoped it didn't.

"Uh, yeah, you're right~" You let out a small laugh and stood up. "Well, I'll be on my way..."

Before you could stand up, he held you down by your waist. With widened eyes and heated cheeks, you stared at him with confusion at the sudden change of mood.

"What's on your mind, (Y/N)?"

The way your name rolled in his mouth sent shivers down your spine. Suddenly feeling your knees go weak, you slumped your shoulders and did the brave thing by leaning your head on his shoulder. You could feel him tense up at the sudden contact but he slowly relaxed and started to rub circles on your back.

"I'm so confused, Levi. I don't know what to do anymore."

"And why is that?"

You wanted to tell him the plan but it might make things risky knowing one person outside the three of you know. Or maybe it was the fact that it was embedded in your system not to share knowledge that you get if you spoke with other higher members.

"Do you really trust me?"

Taking a hold of your chin, he stared into your eyes and gave you a small smirk. One that was enough to tell you his answer.

"I wouldn't show you my bare ass if I didn't."

You let out a laugh as you gave him a playful punch to his shoulder. Knowing that you had now relaxed he pulled you in for a small but deep kiss.

Feeling the butterflies in your stomach, you wrapped your arms around his neck and broke the kiss to peck his nose.

"Okay. But don't tell anyone, okay?"

He simply nodded and pulled you closer to him. Adjusting your position, you chose to sit on his lap that way you could continue to wrap your arms around him.

"On the night that we commence the plan, there will come a time where I have to side with the Capo."

"Hm? Why?"

"Well... Aiden and C--"

"I knew it. And are you going to follow them?"

"I-I'm not sure." You let out a sigh as you nuzzled into the crook of Levi's neck. "I get why they would do that, what I don't understand is why they chose to omit it from the meeting a while ago. If it's for the surprise factor then it doesn't make sense. At least to me."

"Tch. You can do what you need to do when the time comes."

"What if I can't?"

"Were you always an over-thinker when you were still Killshot?"

You averted his eyes with a bit of shame. Giving him a small pout, you gave him a small pinch to the shoulder. Levi jumped a bit at the sudden pain inflicted.

"The fuck? What the hell was that for, brat?"

"For reading me too well, shit face."

"So, I'm a shit face?"

"Y-yes."

"Well how unfortunate for you to like someone who's shit faced."

"How could I be so blind?"

Slowly adjusting both your positions, you now found yourself lying on his bed with him on top. Not being able to resist a smile, you wrapped your arms around his neck one more time. Seeing his face turn into a mischievous one made you bite your lip.

Lowering his body to be closer to yours, Levi bent his elbows. Now that your faces were inches from each other, he rubbed his nose against yours an gave you one of his rare smiles. That itself was enough to cause your heart beat to stop.

"Isn't it too early for this, Ackerman?"

"It's never too early, Avery..."

You choked when you heard him call you by his second name. Not one person, well except Jean (but mostly for comedic purposes), calls you by that. Its unfamiliarity made you feel a new sensation.

"Okay... Did you just...?"

"I like it. (Y/N) Avery."

Finally knowing what the sensation was. It was cringe. You cringed at the sensation of hearing your second name.

Earning a chuckle from the man with no second name, he shook his head and stared back into your (e/c) eyes. Not a second later, his lips met yours.

The way he kept nibbling on your lower lip made you melt. You felt his weight shift onto his right elbow to cup your cheek with his free hand. The way his fingers lightly traced your jaw caused you to giggle in between the kiss.

Feeling a smile curl on his face, you pulled him in deeper as your legs curled around his waist even more. Letting go of his lips, you pecked his cheeks affectionately as you slowly made your way down to his neck.

With your fingers lazily digging onto his undercut, you yanked a bit to get better access of his neck. The moment he let out a small groan, you sucked on his skin causing him to hold onto the same blue sheets you had made love on yesterday.

The way your teeth held on to his skin caused his body to feel static and weak. Adjusting his position, he made sure his balance was kept and slowly his hand held your hip.

After showering the captain with 3 neighboring hickeys, you marvelled at your work and kissed his cheek. To add to your mischief, you slid your tongue a bit before pecking it once more.

"You made my face filthy, (Y/N) Avery..." He whispered to you right before nibbling your earlobe. With a steady pace, he slowly made his way down to your neck.

As he made his way down, you couldn't help but glide your hands and hold onto his shoulders. That was one thing you worshipped about his body. The way his shoulders were broad and formed was just delightful to your eyes. Each movement caused his muscle to flex making you wish he would move quicker and start.

Just before he grazed his fingers on the hemline of your jeans, you pulled his shirt away. Finally exposing all the glory of his god sculpted torso.

"Tch. Someone can't wait." Levi teased as he lifted your shirt up, drawing imaginary circles around your abdomen.

"Oh, I can." You remarked as you raised a brow. "I just prefer no to as of this moment..."

Feeling even more playful, you gave him a wink. He simply rolled his eyes at your attempt at flirting. Though he wasn't going to admit it, he loved every second of it.

Finally, you were now unbuttoned and his fingers slowly slid your pants off. A smirk formed on his mouth as your pants were now right below your butt.

With uneven breathing, you stared at how his eyes turned to a shade of blue and lust. The moment he met your eye sight, he gave you a wink and you swore you felt as if you stopped working.

When Levi decided that he was done being slow, he heard his door click and realized something important.

He forgot to lock it.

"Oy! Shortstack! Armin, Jean, and I are heading to the market. You and (Y/N) sh--"

"Shitty glasses if you open my door by one more inch I will burn all your precious titan shit!"

"Huh?"

Luckily, Levi managed to grab and throw a pillow towards the door.

But damage had been done since Hange managed to open it a bit more before the pillow made contact.

"AAHHHH! Alright! Ya'll could've just said so!" Hange yelled accompanied with the laughter of Jean.

"Damn it. We'll catch up in 5 minutes."

There was silence once more.

"Jean-boy step away from the door, or I swear to the walls!" You yelled as Levi relaxed on top of you. Feeling frustrated as fuck. Hearing a disappointed grunt from the other side, you knew the coast was now clear.

"Fuck them all." It was muffled but hearing Levi complain as his face was buried on a pillow was priceless.

"C'mon shitface. Get off me so we can catch up. Before they come back."

With a 'tch' as response, he lazily got up as you wore your jeans once more. Lifting your body to sit, you stared at him as he put on his shirt once more. It would be a while before you'd get to see that view again.

In exactly 5 minutes, the two of you met the group outside the inn. Hange and Jean were not going to let it pass. It was one helluva lively walk down to the market.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> just a little action to celebrate the return of Levi and Hange ;) and mostly because this is my new years gift to those who really spent their time to read my story :) i love yall so much!
> 
> what did yall think about this chapter? Id be more than happy to know your thoughts xD
> 
> either way, the next upload will be on January 13 and 14 :)
> 
> i hope yall liked this chapter as much as i had fun writing it :)
> 
> till next time!


	32. Flower Shop

To keep thing professional, Levi chose not to hold your hand wile walking towards the market. He did, however, make sure that your fingers would softly brush each other. Seeing the tint of pink on your cheek was enough to make him satisfied.

The walk was quite noisy at first. Hange and Jean made sure to tease the two of you. Armin simply stared at the two and scratched his nape with amusement.

Once the market was in sight, the first thing off the list was to buy some food. Food that you could bring back to the inn. There was a stall that sold sandwiches filled with grape jelly, another one sold strawberry pudding, and Hange made sure to buy from them. Jean preferred to buy fruits with Armin instead. Levi and you wandered off, albeit purposely, to a shop that sold tea.

Now that the group was out of sight, Levi slowly tangled his fingers with yours.

"Couldn't resist, Captain?"

All you got was a roll of his gray eyes. You loved the feeling but you felt as if each and every person were staring at the two of you. This was after all, a new sight to see. Humanities Strongest holding hands with some random person.

"People are staring." You whispered as you lowered your head to avoid all the unnecessary attention.

"Let them." He stared at you while dragging you inside the tea shop.

As Levi was studying which tea to purchase, you sat on a stool and stared at him.

The way he effortlessly carried himself sent butterflies to your stomach. Seeing him in casual clothing was always eye candy for you. It felt good to see him less restrained due to the straps of the ODM gear. With his shirt sleeves rolled to his elbows, you could see his muscles flex a bit as he brought a package closer for inspection. Seeing him in a relaxed state made you feel as though every other male in the world was nothing but a spec of dust compared to this one.

Tearing your eyes away from him, you observed the view from the window. People were walking at different paces, some officers in uniform were doing their hourly patrol, and in the far corner of the street, you could see a flower shop with bright sunflowers.

Flower shop.

You mentally recalled how many blocks all of you walked. It somewhat matched the description Cas had given you. Feeling your pocket get heavy, you took out the letter and began reading it's contents.

_My dear (Y/N),_

A lump formed in your throat. It had been so long since you saw her penmanship.

_How are you, my dear sweet child? Are you surprised to receive this letter? Or are you cautious as to why Cas gave this to you?_

_Fear not my child. Cas is someone who holds a special place in my heart. I would love to tell you how I met him, should the time be granted. If you do, however, come to meet me with them, I will still be tending to a flower shop. You know how I love them. It's my one haven from being trapped in this wall._

_If you're wondering about (h/n), he/she is alive and neighing. Gained a kilo or two as well! I did find discover that he/she has a thing for aloe vera. That I find very odd._

_You are welcome to visit me any time you want, child!_

_-G._

Folding the letter and inserting it in your pocket, you were met with Levi sitting across you. A brown paper bag was placed near him. You hadn't noticed that he had already purchased his tea.

"You ready to go?" You asked while giving him a shy smile.

"Yeah. You okay? You were pretty concentrated with that letter a while ago."

"I'm fine. It was a letter Cas gave me. It's from the person who took care of me before I joined the military."

Taking it from your pocket once more, you handed it to Levi who was confused as to why you would let him read something personal. Nonetheless, he accepted and began reading it.

Few seconds later, he carefully folded it and handed it back to you.

"Well? Do you want to go see her?"

"Is that okay with you?"

Standing up as he took the bag, he extended his free hand. Accepting it, the two of you walked towards the flower shop.

Seeing the bright sunflowers getting closer and closer made your heart race. Levi seemed to notice a change in your features and squeezed your hand. Squeezing his in return, you relaxed and looked at your hands. A smile couldn't help but escape from your lips at that scene. Feeling better, you looked back up and you were now face to face with the flower shop.

Your eyes landed on a brightly colored (favorite/flower). The aroma the shop gave was nostalgic. A person exited from the building holding a huge bouquet of an assortment of red, white, and pink flowers. Following the person was an old woman. You caught your breath when you saw who it was. Feeling your chin trembling, you bit your inner lip as your eyes widened to fully take in the woman who was waving farewell to the customer.

"Gertrude?"

The aged woman startled at the mention of her name. Turning around, she immediately gasped and ran towards you. Letting go of Levi, you met her halfway and engulfed her in your arms.

"(Y/N)! My dear child, it's been so long! You've grown even more beautiful!"

A laugh formed at the thought of your face. You were ugly crying in front of Gertrude while she wiped away your tears and hugged you once more. Her fingers smelled like the flower shop and instantly caused your body to relax. Finally gaining composure, you straightened yourself and absorbed her face once again.

Being in this part of Trost made her look better, healthier even.

"Come inside, (Y/N). I shall make tea. And do introduce me to your partner inside!"

Before you could answer, Gertrude was now inside the shop. Levi was now by your side. Caressing your cheek, he gave you a small kiss on the lip before opening the doors for you to enter. Dumbfounded with his actions, you entered the shop with him trailing behind you.

With a fresh pot of tea in the middle of the table, Gertrude, Levi, and you started to catch up with each other.

"I'm sure you're wondering how I ended up here, (Y/N)?"

You nodded as you sipped on your black tea. You could feel the serotonin forming as the tea went into your system.

"Well, when the colossal titan appeared I was woken up by the ground shaking. I ran down to see what was happening and immediately saw chaos. People seemed to be running away from something. From the distance, I saw that buildings were destroyed due to huge pieces of debris.

Finally, it came to me that people were running away because of only one thing. Titans. To be frank, I froze in place before running back up to my room to get my things. Just as I was ready to leave, I stopped and went back in. I took your room keys and opened your room to check if I could bring... your things. I didn't know what to do from them on.

Luckily, I heard heavy footsteps coming from the stairs and heard Cas call my name. When he saw that there was an open room, he assumed it was mine and met me there. I did get a lengthy speech at how idiotic I was till I told him the reason why I stayed behind.

When I told him about the little contraptions you made, dear boy looked genuinely confused and unsure of what to do next. After snapping him out of his thoughts, we managed to grab some newspapers and bags from my room and proceeded to figure out how to get your toys from the closet..."

"That has always bothered me, though. How did you know about the things hidden in my closet." You stated while tracing the rim of your tea cup.

"Oh. Well, that's an easy one. You told me about them."

"Huh?"

She gave a giggle and sipped her tea.

"One night, you came back from visiting Cal. You knocked on my room and we had a little chat. Though until now, I have not fully understood what you were talking about. You were talking in slurs and even had the hiccups. Next thing I knew, you were blabbering about keeping something in your room that you did not want others to see.."

There was silence with the three of you. Giving yourself a face palm, you suddenly recalled the moment you brought some vodka while visiting Cal. You barely noticed that you had finished the bottle since you had been eating and drinking at the same time. What made you remember was the fact that you had fallen off of (h/n) a lot of times and earned sore muscles the following day along with no recollection of what happened that night.

"And you immediately believed me?"

"Oh no. I hit you with my mop."

Levi snickered at the picture of you being hit with a mop. Flinching from a kick from you under the table, he bowed his head to apologize.

"After the mop, you vomited a bit and dragged me all the way to your room."

Now that everything was coming back to you, you recalled how you tripped while going up the stairs. When you finally entered your room, you forced Gertrude to sit on your bed as you opened your closet with a bang and reached for the lever.

"No wonder you scolded me randomly one morning..."

"Dear, I will be honest and tell you that I experienced a heart attack when you pointed all 7 of them at me while explaining."

Cringing so much from the memory, you scooted towards Levi and hid your face behind his shoulder.

"The fuck? Don't hide behind me, brat. Face the consequences."

"Not even you are on my side? How dare you..."

With Levi flicking your forehead, you slumped your shoulders and made Gertrude continue her story.

"Anyway, when we finished wrapping them up in newspaper, the next task was to secure them in the bag. I had nothing at my disposal that could fit all of them. Throwing the bags aside, Cas ran out and went back with my bed sheet and blanket. We carefully placed them in the bundle of cloth and he managed to make a makeshift bag. He took one bag to help me out." Gertrude rubbed her shoulder with the memory of having to carry approximately 37 kilos of weapons.

"Cas then brought me here and made me tend to a flower shop. I thought all was well till that one time where I decided to take (h/n) for an overdue ride. When I came back, my office was ransacked and my storage empty." She stared at you with such sorry eyes. "I apologize, (Y/N). I failed to protect your belongings, all of them."

Softly grabbing her hand, you assured to her that everything was okay. Mentally though, you recalled the talk you had with the two boys. At least there was some meat to the story now. If this were all true or fabricated, you would have to recall this before you would go to sleep.

"But, let's go to much important matters!"

Confused you looked at your motherly figure and saw that her eyes were on Levi.

"Is this your fiance?"

Choking on air, you couldn't find the words to reply.

"No. At least not yet." Levi replied on your behalf. "Levi Ackerman. But please call me Levi."

"Oh~ So you really are Humanities Strongest! What on earth did this clumsy female do to get you to notice her?"

"Hey! I am far from clumsy..."

"To answer your question ma'am, all she had to do was smile." Levi slowly grabbed your hand and held on to it. Giving Gertrude a small smile, he squeezed your hand causing you to blush and observe your tea cup intently.

"Well, if the two of you do plan to get married, you have my permission!"

"Gertrude!"

Levi shook his head with amusement and let go of your hand. Instead, he gave you a pat on the head and bowed his head to the woman giving him a go signal.

"Thank you, ma'am." Levi gave Gertrude a smile.

Staring a little too much, you failed to notice that your jaw was now hanging till he held your chin and pushed it up. This time, a smirk appeared and he sipped on his tea.

"I think it's fair time the two of you should go."

"Yeah, we came here with some friends. It was nice seeing you Gertrude! I'll make sure to visit you more often."

The two of you hugged one more time and she even gave Levi a pinch on his cheek. You made sure to tease him once both of you were earshot away from Gertrude. Leading you outside the shop, you stepped out first and stared at the sky. It was now in the middle of the afternoon. You had a gut feeling that Hange and the rest had already head back to the inn.

When Levi followed, he held your hand once more as the two of you bid farewell to the old woman.

"Oi, brat."

"Yes?"

Taking a (f/f) from his back pocket, he gently tucked it behind your ear. Realizing what he was doing, you blushed mad and gave him a peck on the lips as a thank you.

"All I had to do was smile, ey?" You teased him as the two of you walked towards the center of the market.

"I didn't know who you were back then, though. I just sort of hoped that I'd somehow see you again."

"What do you mean? You saw me once bef--" You gasped and remembered the first time you saw Levi. "Is that why you were right in front of me?!"

"If you don't blink, your eyes would dry and you'd go blind."

Laughing at the memory, you let go of his hand and held on to his arm instead. It was truly amusing how he would be able to recall who you were despite being badly injured a few hours later.

"But the next time we met, I was badly injured. Heck you even slapped me!"

"I didn't recognize you immediately. It was only when you were cleaned up in the medical unit that I realized it was you who I slapped."

"Tch."

"Mocking me, now?"

"Maybe..." You bumped his shoulder a bit.

"Wall Maria, how on earth did I come to love this female?" Levi sighed as he scratched his undercut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> a/n:
> 
> So this was longer than I intended it to be hehehe but yeah, we all need some fluff in our lives~
> 
> Once again, thank you all so much for taking the time to read this work of mine. It always brightens up my day knowing that some of you actually wait for the updates on this hella of a slow burn story :)
> 
> See ya'll on the next upload tomorrow <3


	33. Et Pulmentum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mess of a chapter. You and the two boys commence the hard part of the mission.

Today was the day.

The sun was setting as you were staring at a case given to you by Cas. You knew what was inside. The familiar color of the case was one you would never forget. Seeing the 'KS' engraved in the center caused a thousand memories to flash in your mind.

It had been years since you last saw this case.

"How did you get this?"

"Connections."

Sitting yourself down, you grabbed the edges of the case. Pulling it closer to you, you saw all the tiny scratch marks and dents you had made. The silver combination lock was still as shiny as ever. Placing it flat down, you entered the code.

4861.

Hearing the lock click open, you felt as if adrenaline was slowly building up.

Inside the case was a black body suit. Lifting it up, it was still as light weight as a feather. It had been neatly folded with the gloves tucked in their designated area. Inside the case were knee and elbow pads, along with a slender bullet proof vest you had designed years ago. Tracing the indentations made from previous bullets, you felt the hairs on your arm stand.

Placing another case on the table, Cas had brought along his as well. Though slightly bigger, there were barely any differences to the contents. The only difference was that his case held both your footwear. Matt-black boots that all matched your suits.

"Is everything accounted for?"

"Yeah. It's all in here." You replied as you slowly took all the contents out and laid it on the table for you to take it all in. It was overwhelming to say the least. There was a slight tremble in your finger tips that you couldn't brush off.

Though Cas was trying hard to mask it, his tightened jaw gave it all away. He carried the case and placed it on the edge of your bed. There he unloaded his gears as well. In his mind, he was trying to recall every single detail the plan had to offer and what he could do should the plan fail. Feeling his forehead forming beads of sweat, he let out an exasperated sigh and shook the feeling away.

As he took out his vest, a small paper fell and found it's way to the floor. Lifting it up, he read the contents.

"Shit."

"What? What's wrong?"

Handing you the note, you took it and began reading the messy penmanship. You knew this penmanship. It was from on of your most trusted confidants. Stealing a glance at Cas, you couldn't help but think how the two of them met. This particular person was rather hard to find. But he was ranked number 1 before so, that wouldn't be much of a surprise.

Placing the note down, you sat once more and brought your palms to your face.

"I... did not like that note one bit."

"When was the last time you, you know?"

"Hmm, human or titan?"

"Human."

Call entered your mind. The last time you saw him was also the last day you pulled a trigger. All of a sudden, the hospital bed, the flowers you had picked, and the small Steyr M1912 in your hand was clear as day.

"I dunno. 7 years? I don't really keep track of the years. Just the names. What about you?"

You heard a small creak coming from your bed. Followed by a long and tired sigh.

"9 for me."

There was a moment of silence that had eaten up the room. Mentally preparing yourselves for the worst, you chewed on your inner cheek and tried to rewire your thoughts. If you wanted to make sure everyone was alive, you had to make some necessary changes. 

"C'mon, Bulls-eye. Sulking gets people no where."

Taking your bodysuit and other paraphernalia, you went inside your comfort room and started to suit up.

Luckily the body suit was still a perfect fit for your frame. Sliding on the elbow pads, you shakily strapped them on. Now with an uneven and fast breathing pace, you felt tears roll down your face. Gritting your teeth as you wore the other pad on.

It was slowly killing you. Thinking you had forgiven yourself for what you had done 7 years ago. Now that the pain was surfacing once more, you allowed it to take control for a mere 5 seconds before you finally pulled yourself together. Dropping to the cold damp floor, you slid on the knee pads a bit faster. Pulling your knees to your chest, you stayed in that position for a few good minutes. Trying to control your breathing. 

When your breathing was finally even, you stared at the mirror.

The scar you had gotten a few weeks ago was still there. It ran down your forehead to your cheek. Tracing it with your finger, you recalled how this was one of the first moments you had with the emotionless captain.

The Captain.

Pulling your hair into a high ponytail, you felt much more confident now.

After wearing and buckling the vest, you stepped out of the comfort room with a fully geared Cas.

None of you had any weapons of sort. Save for a small dagger that you always kept in your case, you felt almost naked knowing that each time you wore this body suit, a sniper would be strapped to your back.

The final touch to both your outfits were dark green cloaks. Handing one to you, you immediately wore it and made yourself look presentable.

"Ready?" Bulls-eye asked as he fixed his hood.

"Not much of a choice now, right?"

After ruffling his hair a bit, the two of you exited your room and proceeded to exit the inn. The rest of the group were now waiting by the entrance. With their ODM's strapped on, they beamed with confidence knowing that they were now able to move freely should the need arise. Each of them held the reins on their horses.

"Take care, brat."

Merely humming a reply, Levi sensed that you were over thinking the situation. He leaned in closer to your ear.

"Stop over thinking. I'll be near you. I'll protect you should the situation need it."

"I know. Just stay safe. Don't underestimate those scumbags."

"You're the one whose underestimating me, cadet."

"Sorry."

Caressing your cheek, he stared into your eyes and leaned his forehead onto yours. He wasn't sure if this action would calm you, but seeing how your shoulders visibly relaxed was enough to give him the answer he wanted.

"I love you. Always keep that in mind."

"I swear, you always say the sweetest things before we go out and risk our lives..." You pouted as the two of you leaned on each others foreheads. Still, being able to hear those three words come out of his mouth gave you motivation. Feeling yourself relax, you reached for his hand and held on to it. "I love you too, Levi."

"Alright short-stack, as much as I love the way you two are interacting, we have to move." Hange commented as she straddled her horse.

"Ya'll can save the action when we come back!" Jean added but immediately turned his horse to the other direction as soon as Levi gave him a glare. He mentally prepared himself for stable duty.

Giving Levi a faint smile, you let go of his hand and went to Cas' side. Turning his back on you, he effortlessly rode his horse and commanded the rest to follow him to their vantage point. Seeing them gallop towards the streets horizon caused a number of pulled strings in your heart. You could feel your nails digging into your palms despite the thickness of your protective gloves.

Seeing your state, Cas placed his hand on your head. When you turned to stare at him, he nodded his head and reached for something in his pocket with his free hand. Extending his hand, he showed to you a single tablet. One that was red and white.

"What's that?"

"Take it. We'll be needing it later."

"Only if you take it first."

Without hesitation, he popped the tablet into his mouth and handed you another one. Not bothering to ask, you took the tablet as well. It tasted funky. A little bitter with a medicinal aftertaste.

"Shall we?"

"We shall."

Walking side by side, the two of you slowly walked towards the MP's base.

\- -

As the two of you were getting closer and closer, you took a sharp turn and hid in a dark alleyway. This particular alleyway only contained 3 street lights. Stationed on the farthest one was a man wearing a similar cloak. Approaching with caution, the two of you were now face to face with Aiden.

"This is all I could get. Not the best, but we'll have to make do."

Leading the two of you deeper into the alley, he stopped his tracks when he found what he was looking for. Wooden crates.

Your heart started beating a tad bit faster with each step you three took. Instructing as to which crate belongs to who, you were assigned with the 2nd largest one. Opening the crate was easy. Thanking whoever placed a hook instead of nailing the thing shut, you opened it and couldn't help but drop your jaw.

With trembling fingers, you traced the outline of a Remington 700.

"Where did you get these, if I may ask?"

"It was a bit expensive but an MP smuggled these out from the storage room."

"So we're using smuggled items?"

"What's on your mind, (Y/N)?" Cas intervened. He could sense the anger coming out from you. Yet, he still couldn't place why.

"Nothing. I don't like using heavy ones. That's all." Taking the Remington, it was indeed quite heavy. Not being used to it's body without the support, you held onto its barrel while the buttstock rested perfectly on your armpit. Not even bothering to stare at the gun, you loaded it and cocked it. 

Aiden furrowed his brow. A cold breeze brushed all three of you. Seeing how you were expressing doubt would lessen the chances of you three being able to enter.

By habit, Cas took his SCAR-H and slung it on his shoulder, trigger finger ready.

"Is this everything we need?"

"No. We need to walk a bit for one more thing. It's waiting for us by the back."

As Aiden lead the way, you eyed on Cas. He too was eyeing you.

Tapping on your barrel twice, he tapped his grip thrice.

After a few blocks, all three of you were now looming in towards the back entrance. Everything was going according to plan, stationed were 3 guards. Drinking and chatting their lives away. You could hear them talk shit about the scouts and the garrisons.

Trying to control your breathing, your trigger finger twitched. Your wrists started to tremble. Biting your inner lip, you controlled yourself not to pull the trigger.

'The fuck?' Shaking your head back to reality, you brushed off those impulsive thoughts you just had. Your eyes darted to Cas who seemed to be visibly shaken as well. Though it was dark, it was clear that sweat beads had formed in his forehead. The way he let out a long exhale signified that you and him bore the same thoughts.

Looking at Aiden, he readjusted his grip on his rifle and raised his hand to signal.

'The goal is to injure not kill. Injure not kill.' You recited your mantra as you positioned the rifle. Trigger finger ready.

Flicking his wrist, all three of you pulled in unison.

Painful groans were now echoing the empty street. Taking a piece of cloth, you gagged your MP and inspected his wound. A wave of relief hit you when you saw it had missed the cuff muscle. A familiar scent entered your system, causing you to back up a bit.

"What?" Aiden asked as he held the bleeding arm of his MP.

"Something smells. Like literally."

The two men sniffed the air but shrugged. Perhaps it was just your mind playing tricks again. Aiden eyed the guards station and informed you two that he would be getting the key. Handing you a rope, you tediously tied the 3 men together.

"(Y/N)?" It was barely a whisper.

"Did you smell it? Rotting flesh?"

"Yeah." You saw his light blue eyes slide to the three now unconscious men. "Two taps."

"3 taps? I'm not familiar with the 3rd tap."

"3 means to act things out."

"You feel it too?"

"Yeah."

Letting out a tsk, Aiden made his way back. Keys in hand.

After unlocking the door, your team made its way inside.

It was pitch black and you could hear distant murmurs the more you went forward. Turning on the small light each of your rifles had, you proceeded further. Not long after, your steps sounded sploshy. By now, your eyesight had adjusted to the darkness. There were pipes surrounding all three of you. Drips of water fell onto a puddle. After absorbing the scenery, a staircase made it's presence and the three of you made your ascend.

Slowly opening the doors, you were met with yellow lights and a red carpet. The walls were draped with curtains containing the MP's emblem. It was empty. Not a single sound came from this room. Opening the door further, Aiden was about to check the surroundings till you grabbed his elbow.

"Let Bulls-eye do it. It's his privilege after all."

Aiden nodded and backed up. Cas gave the affirmative nod and moved forward. With his scope in his eye and stance ready, he carefully surveyed for any shadows and movement in the room. Seeing that it was clear, he tapped his foot on the tiled floor and heard your footsteps approach him. Placing the tip of his muzzle on the floor to let his shoulder relax from the heavy weight.

"We're in the ballroom. They should be 4 rooms down from here."

"Remember... after this, do not shoot."

Not bothering to give a response, you kicked the nuzzle to signal him to lead the way.

Just as you were about to open the door, you heard the echoing of footsteps on the other side. A shaky breath escaped your system. Feeling a glove wrap around your wrist and pull you, you and Aiden hid behind a draped curtain while Cas managed to conceal himself near a small pillar holding a vase.

Cas stared at the MP who entered the room. His eyes widened when he saw that they were not in uniform. They seemed to be wearing suits and fedora hats. Blinking his confusion away, he held on to his rifle as if it were the only hope he had. The next thing he knew, his shoulder throbbed with pain. In an instant, his right arm felt limp and useless.

"Cas got shot! Aiden! We ha-mmph" Your whispers got cut when Aiden put his hand over your mouth. His free arm wrapped around your shoulder.

"Quiet."

Aiden could feel the warmth of your hasting breath on his palm. His arms could feel how shaken up you had gotten over the sight of Cas bleeding.

Slightly agitated by his actions, you bit his palm till he let go of you.

"This was not part of the plan!"

"It is, Killshot. Now leave it to me."

"You just got Bulls-eye shot. How is that part of the plan?!"

Realizing that you rose your voice, Aiden pushed you out of the curtains causing the men to jump at surprise. Your eyes were now face to face with the muzzle. Not a single hint of remorse in his eyes. Making you take steps back, you bumped into Cas. He winced with pain with the sudden contact of your shoulders.

Seeing his finger flex the tiniest amount caused a bullet to land on your rib cage. Cas turned and held on to your body as you fell on all fours.

His eyes bore holes into Aiden's. Gritting his teeth, he turned his attention to you and placed a hand over yours. He could do nothing else but to help in adding pressure to the area. Cas could feel your breathing start to labor. A little wheezing escaped every now and then. Now that all the lights were turned on, more people in suits arrived and stared at the pool of blood. Pulling you a little closer to him, you responded by gripping onto his forearm.

From the main door, the two of you saw a group of bodyguards. Two of them had tattoos on their faces. Counting the words, each of them had 2 letters each. Behind them was a man who seemed to be in his late forties. The moment Aiden laid eyes on him, he knelt to the floor and gave him a salute.

"Ut serve habito, Capocrimine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> a/n:
> 
> well now :3 this was something! but look who finally makes his first appearance!
> 
> with an injured Cas and reader, what do you think is the next part of the plan? where are the scouts? and why did Aiden do that? it would be nice to read some theories ;)
> 
> tune in to January 20 and 21 for the next updates!
> 
> till then.. . sasageyo!
> 
> -KG


	34. Bulls-eye and Killshot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Cas have a heart to heart talk.

Thrown into one of the cells the MP's had, Cas took your vest out to examine your wound. It was dimly lit with torches. The hall was flickering with yellow, orange, and shadows in his eyes.

Because the shot was close range, the bullet had managed to penetrate to your skin. But, he was grateful that the rim's primer was still visible. Pulling you closer to him, he grabbed a hold of your hand. Seeing that your breathing wasn't as labored as it was a few moments ago, he relaxed the tiniest bit.

"This is gonna hurt now. It's just us so you can scream as loud as you want."

Nodding your head, you waited for his fingers to dig into your skin. When it did, your cries filled the entire empty floor. It took a few excruciating seconds till he took it out and applied more pressure to stop the bleeding. Seeing the bed, he gently placed you down and tore the sheets apart.

Wrapping you up as well as he could and putting your vest back on, he examined the bullet's entry way and saw how it had been drenched with liquid.

"Cas? Your bleeding too, you know." Pulling him from his thoughts, he shook his head and tore another piece to stop the bleeding on his shoulder. Though, he knew it was nothing compared to yours.

"There's some kind of liquid on your vest. I can't see it clearly but I think the bullet was coated with shit."

Feeling a bit better, you gingerly pulled your body up and leaned your head on his unharmed shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

Not expecting the sudden show of affection, he simply patted your head.

"For?"

"Doubting you."

Letting out a hum. He rested his chin on your head and closed his eyes. His body was not used to blood loss. The heat from the cells and the sudden change of his body caused him to feel dizziness.

"I understand. I knew you'd doubt me anyway. Now, stop apologizing if you wanna see your beloved Levi again."

Giving him a chuckle you lifted your head and stared into his pale blue eyes. They seemed more confident now. Yet his pale lips told you otherwise.

Assessing your body, you didn't feel weak or dizzy. The wound was still throbbing but it was manageable. Staring at the blood patch on Cas' shoulder, it wasn't all that bad too.

"It's the tablet I gave us. In case you were wondering."

"What was in it?"

"It's a blood thinner. The night we talked during dinner, I went to the another apothecary and got the needed ingredients for them. Be thankful I still remember the measurements!" Cas said with a smile on his face. Even though you two were stuck in some random ass cell, he still managed to remain positive. Maybe that's why he was ranked one.

"Can I ask something?"

"Sure. We're here anyway, won't make much of a difference."

"Where's your tattoo?"

"I'd show you but that would mean I'd have to take my suit off. It's here." Cas explained as he pointed to heart. "Vivet."

Both of your heads jolted to a sudden noise coming from the halls. But there was no evidence of any movement afterwords. Slowly standing up, the two of you neared the rusty iron bars to check on the noise. Deciding that going towards the sound was the worst option, Cas slowly backed the two of you away from the bars and nearer to the bed. Eyes glued to the empty wall.

"What was that?" You whispered as softly as you could.

Shrugging his answer, both of you basked in the silence the chambers had to offer.

After a few moments of listening, a conclusion was set forth and the two of you sat back down to rest your dizzy heads.

"How did you become Bulls-eye?"

"Boredom. Parents were high and mighty people from Mitras. I wanted something different and one day at some random ass dinner, I got recruited. That's as straightforward as it can get."

"What did you have to do to become one of them?"

"Because I was quite up there, I had to create ties with other names around the area. Gather information on the Military Police and Survey Corps as well. Whatever information I sent, they would shower me with gold." He paused as he massaged his shoulder. "But if you meant to ask when I did my first kill, it was 2 nights after they recruited me."

Hugging your knees to your chest, you nudged him to proceed. Even in the darkness, you could see the regret forming in his eyes. Regret, pain, and if you were not mistaken, grief.

"I was given a paper with an address scribbled on it. I went there but stopped when I saw the carriage of my parents."

"Stop. You don't have to continue. I think I know where this is going."

Lifting the corners of his lip, he gave you a pained smile. Patting his messy mahogany hair, you tried your best to comfort him despite it being years too late. Pushing the situation, you decided to ask another question.

"By the way, how did you and Commander Erwin meet?"

He shook his head with amusement.

"Aiden bailed on me. That's how we met. At least that's the version Commander Erwin told me. So, we met at a party in Mitras. The big shots were there and I was tasked to see who they were and where they were currently stationed. The only problem I had was that I was an arrogant bastard and I flaunted who I was to those around me. The commander knew how I looked like hence him attending the said party."

"What party was that?"

"It was an exclusive one. Some party a rich couple wanted to throw to show off their son. I call bullshit. They just wanted to show their wealth. Barely kept an eye on their son."

"And then the son went missing?"

"Yeah, he did. How'd y-- Oh shit. That was you?"

As weird as it got, and as inappropriate the situation was, the two of you stifled a laugh. Even during those times, you were spying on each other without even knowing it. Somehow, the two of you relived your past personas. This time, the heavy feeling of guilt was not as painful as it was.

"What about you? Who was your first kill?" He asked you this time.

"The kid."

"Fuck. Damn girl... That's messed up." He shook his head but he desperately tried to retain the smile on his face. "Fuck. I shouldn't be laughing at this."

Crinkling your nose, you nodded but couldn't help but be amused.

The fact that Bulls-eye and Killshot were in the same vicinity was as rare as rare could get. It also made them shudder just how wide the Capo was. To be able to keep that information away from them was indeed something else.

"Can I ask something?"

"Yeah..." You answered him while stretching your body a little. Wincing a bit from the sudden movement.

"Who was the last bullet for you?"

Tearing your gaze from his. Pain and guilt immediately flooded your senses.

This was the one thing that no one knew. Seeing your actions, he raised his palms and decided that the question was too personal for you. If there was one thing he had learned growing up, respect should always be given where it's due. Judging that it was something personal, Cas threw the topic out.

"Who was yours?" Breaking the momentary silence the two of you had, you mentally prepared your answer as well.

"Shall we say their names together?"

Agreeing to it, the two of you adjusted your positions till you were now face to face. Cas raised a hand and began the countdown with his fingers.

3.

2.

1.

"My fiance."

"My little brother."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> a/n:
> 
> A chapter dedicated to Cas :') I dunno, I somehow really came to like his character design in my head hihihi
> 
> BUT hohoho what do we have here? So reader-chan killed Call? Or is there something else? :0
> 
> Find out tomorrow ;)


	35. Everything (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How it happened with Call.

_"(Y/N)... Can I have some orange juice?" Call said as he weakly opened his eyes._

_You were right there beside him. Holding onto his thin weak hand. It had only been an hour since you entered his room. Hearing his feeble voice caused you to bite your inner lip. Pulling yourself together, you showed him a smile and winked. Squeezing his hand before exiting the room to buy his juice._

_Walking down the hallways, you saw his doctor. The moment the doctor's eyes land on you, he took a sharp turn._

_All your senses told you to follow him and you did._

_When you finally managed to corner him, you gave him a gentle tug on the sleeve of his coat._

_"Why the fuck did you avoid me?" Your voice strained not to attract attention._

_"I-I didn't. You misunderstood. I had a patient that needed attending to."_

_"Do you know who I am?" You hated playing the name card but at times like this, you could feel that something was wrong._

_"Uh, you're Callaway's sister. Who doesn't know you." There was a nervous laughter coming from his mouth. Effort was clearly visible on him trying to remain unfazed and composed at your show of passive aggression._

_"Do you know what I do, Doctor Bard?"_

_"Take care of your brother?"_

_Pushing him against the wall, you pinned his neck with your forearm. Slowly putting force to suck a bit of air from him._

_"I don't think you do. See, I have to do a hell lot of bullshit just to keep him alive. And frankly speaking, I see no improvement whatsoever on his situation. Now tell me, Doctor Bard... Have you been doing your part of the bargain?"_ _You pushed a little more causing him to choke._

_"I'm doing what I'm being told to do..."_

_"Meaning?"_

_"If you'll follow me to my office, I can show you his records and some letters."_

_Taking out your Steyr M1912, you pushed the doctor into his office with the muzzle touching his back. Trigger finger ready._

_Sitting down by the chair near his desk, you kept the gun pointed at him as he messily rummaged through his files. Sweat was starting to break on his forehead. His breath hitched audibly when he finally found the envelope._

_"Here. Everything you need is in here." With trembling hands, he handed you the envelope._

_"Hands on your head. Now." Without hesitation, the doctor agreed._

_Taking the contents out of the envelope, you saw his prescriptions and antibiotics. Shuffling the papers a little more, you saw small pieces of papers carelessly inserted in between each prescription. Taking them out, you saw the all too familiar penmanship of the Capo._

_"Am I reading this right?" You stared blindly into space. The crumpled up piece of paper trembled in your hand._

_"I started receiving those 9 months ago." Dr. Bard explained. "I decided not to follow them and continue with Call's meds but then they came to me and with my wife and daughter."_

_Holding back the urge to cry, you gritted your teeth and put the paper back in the envelope._

_"9 months..." You placed the gun down and covered your face with your hands. Your body started to shake and your breathing became uneven. Not being to hold it back, you felt the tears flood on your palms. "If we administer the meds now, can we st--"_

_"Overdose might happen. I have put that into thought but it is too risky for Call."_

_"Is your family okay?"_

_"Yes. I made sure to transfer them back to the country side."_

_"No. Bring them back here. It's too risky for them to be away from you. Especially now that I know." Motioning with your palms, the doctor slowly lowered his hands and slowly relaxed. He understood the pain you were feeling._

_His silence was his answer._

_"H-how long?"_

_Dr. Bard lowered his eyes._

_"Did you not hear me? I asked how long?!" Your cheeks were stained with tears. Even though you had managed to yell, there was no hiding the fact that your voice cracked._

_"A month. His immune system is caving in."_

"_Get out."_

_No hesitation on his part, he stood up. Before leaving, he placed a gentle hand on your shoulder._

_For who knows how many minutes, you stayed locked inside the doctor's office._

_Each and every kill you had made just to keep your brother alive was all for nothing. All the bloodshed you had to endure, the sleepless nights, the trauma, and all the lies you had to make were all for nothing. You felt played for and used. You knew you were._

_Finally calming down, you made your way outside the building and bought the orange juice he wanted. Passing by a flower shop, you purchased some (favorite/flowers). To liven up the bland room he had. In your head, you thought that a splash of color would help him heal even just for a tiny bit._

_Each step you took towards his room felt heavier and heavier. The moment you stood outside his door, you felt your body giving up. For a moment, you wanted to drop everything and burn whatever it is that tied you with the Capocrimine. Inhaling deeply, you opened the door and greeted your little brother._

_"I got the juice you wanted, buddy~ And some flowers too..." _

_"You've been crying (Y/N)..."_

_You thanked yourself your back was facing him. Your inner cheek was bleeding from biting it too hard. If anyone needed to strong, it had to be you. Call has no else but you to look up to. Swallowing the pain, you faced him and opened the box of juice. With weak hands, you made him drink it._

_"(Y/N)... do you love me?"_

_"Of course I do! What kinda dumb question is that?"_

_"Nothing. I just wanted to ask, is all." He gave you a soft smile before holding onto your shaky hands. "I'm dying aren't I?"_

_Choking on your breath, you couldn't help but feel the tears roll down your face. Hell, you knew a bit of blood was escaping your mouth._

_"Of course not Callster, I'm making sure you're okay. And you are okay~" As strong as you wanted to sound, there was no way you could hide the pain in your voice._

_"Just let me go, (Y/N)... I'll be okay."_

_"Hey. Stop talking like that."_

_"I know what you're doing just to keep me alive..."_

_"I'm working my ass off, that's what I'm doing." You gave his cheek a small pinch._

_"The night you snuck into my room. I wasn't sleeping. I saw you. Your back was turned and you were crying. You had this giant thing on your back. Two of them even. I smelled the blood from your clothes."_

_That night was the night you ended up killing Thomas. Guilt had eaten you up badly and you decided to sneak into Call's room. You were thankful he was sleeping as you silently wailed out the pain and trauma you had given yourself. For 4 hours, you stayed by his side. Your head leaning on the frame of his bed. Both your Heckler MSG-90 and SIG SG-5501 rested on your back. _

_You could remember the blood stains on your tracks as you made your way to the medical building. Though there was no mirror present, you could feel blotches of dried blood on your face._

_"You were awake?" You felt ashamed. All this time your brother had the faintest idea of what you do and he was able to put two and two together. "I'm a monster, aren't I?"_

_"No. You're my sister."_

_That lone sentence broke you._

_"I should've seen it coming. You're not getting the proper amount of meds you need."_

_"That's why I have a favor, (Y/N)..."_

_Lifting your head up, you saw how peaceful the features of your little brother was. His eyes showed pain yet contentment at the same time. Call always managed to find the positivity no matter how dark his days were._

_"Anything for you, buddy."_

_He stretched his hand and pointed at your body. You gave him a confused look._

_"The one you have in your back."_

_"No. I can't do that."_

_"Please. My body is aching all over and I don't want you to continue doing what you're doing. You spent your whole life taking care of me. I want you to take care of yourself."_

_"No." You slowly backed away from his fragile form._

_"I'm tired, (Y/N). And I'm sure you are too." He stretched his hand once more and reached out for you. "That's why my final favor for you would be to always bring me orange juice once I'm gone."_

_Staring at his outstretched hand, you held on to it tightly._

_"Okay. I'll bring you orange juice." Those words were barely understandable with how hard you were trying to control your crying._

_"I love you~ (Y/N)."_

_"I love you too, Callster."_

_And almost as if the world were playing tricks on you, you saw the last traces of light leave his eyes. You closed yours as well. Feeling his hand grow limp, you gently put his arm back to his side and closed his eyes._

Taking the _pistol from your back, you loaded and cocked it. The muzzle now aimed at his forehead._

_"Whatever it is you want..." You gritted your teeth. _

_You left the room with the pistol and note underneath. Using the window, you stared one more time at your little brother's bloody head._

_The next time you would see him would be the day of his burial. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> a/n:
> 
> aye now we have the back story for Call :) and yes! this is a part 1 meaning part 2 will consist of Cas' version of his last bullet :D
> 
> the sad news is that, next week my work will be having a special training so i will be very busy :( i will still update tho ;) im just not sure if i can upload 2 chapters :3
> 
> see yall on Jan 27 and/or 28 :*


	36. Everything (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassian Finn's story appears.

Cassian Finn.

Son of Altor and Amelia Finn.

Ranked 1 within the Capocrimine. Most commonly known as Bulls-eye.

The day he was recruited forever changed the history of the Capo. He was the perfect candidate. Not once did he waver from any orders given to him.

Although his kill count was 230 less than Killshot, he was much cleaner and smarter in terms of tactics. His trademark was always to shoot the right eye followed by one more to the neck. That was his ultimate combination. Not once did he miss.

Pride issues were his weakness. He tended to boast his ranking to those around him. He showed no regrets as to he was, what he had become, or what he did.

Cassian could still remember how it all started...

At a dinner.

\- -

"Seriously, do I have to? Fucking hate mingling with people..."

Tonight was the annual dinner the Finn's celebrated. They loved to show the people in Mitras just how much they could afford to waste money on food and decorations.

"It's only for tonight, Cas. Do us a favor and behave." Amelia asked as she combed through her sons hair. "You might find yourself a bride too. It's high time you do."

"Stop, mother. There's no way in hell I'll be marrying any time soon."

There was a knock on the door. The familiar head of his father, Altor, popped in with a grin. He seemed to have been listening in on their conversation. Sitting himself on the messy edge of his son's bed. He couldn't help but admire the way his son still allowed his mother to comb through his messy mahogany hair.

"The two of you ready?"

His small family nodded their heads and proceeded to enter the hall.

Tonight's party was something else. There were a lot more people than usual. Cas could see different officers walking around and enjoying the free booze and food. He noticed the different emblems of the military branches. Looking at the others, he also saw how some visitors were unfamiliar faces.

He grew up in the atmosphere of parties. Any unfamiliar faces always peaked his interest. Deciding to snoop around, he eagerly went down the stairs and began socializing with the others. Something he rarely does.

There was no denying that small talk made his brain go numb. Despite trying his best to look interested in the conversation, his eyes gave him away. But of course, those whom he talked to could not see it. After all, in times like these, it helped to have a few wealthy people who knew their names.

Not being to take it anymore, he excused himself and went towards the buffet table.

Taking some meat, he happily munched on it.

"You're a hungry fella."

Gazing his eyes to his right, he saw a new face.

"You're a new lass."

Turning to face the stranger, he noticed her soft features. She had long hair tied up in a bun. She wore a decent dress, enough for him to nod his head in approval. Her green eyes were something else. Almost as if they were clouded with mystery. It irked him how he couldn't read her eyes.

"Emery. Emery Saph."

"Cassian. Cassian Finn."

"I know."

Leaning on the table, he tilted his head.

"How so?"

"You're mahogany hair is a dead giveaway. And you came through that door which leads to the private area of this estate. Isn't that right?" Emery stated. Her eyes had landed on the door and back at the interested boy.

"You're an observant one, aren't you?"

Giving him a shrug, she grabbed a strawberry and left Cas. Just as she disappeared within the crowd, she looked over her shoulder. Cas was still staring at her, giggling at how his jaw was hanging at mid-air, she gave him a wink only letting the male blink himself back together.

Just as he was about to follow Emery, his path was blocked by a stranger.

"Mr. Finn." He bowed his head.

A little pissed at the stranger, he glared at him before exhaling a defeat.

"Do I know you?" There was a tone of anger in his voice. One he couldn't keep down.

"Might I interest you with some whiskey?" The man extended a hand with a glass of whiskey. His brown eyes were eager for Cas' response.

Taking the glass with a nod, the two men drank in unison.

"So, what does a bachelor like you do in his free time?"

"Nothing that concerns you, that's for sure."

"Cocky and witty. You'd be perfect for the job."

"Pardon?"

The man tapped on Cas' shoulder and signaled him to follow him out the house. They made their way past the people till they were now in the garden. Placing the snifters on a cement bench, the man rummaged through his chest pocket. He took out a piece of paper and handed it to Cas.

"Join us. We could use a man like you."

"At least inform me what kinda shit it is that you guys do."

"We work for the Capocrimine. Ever heard of 'em?"

Upon hearing that name, Cas flinched for a microsecond. Luckily he was able to compose himself before the man took notice. His heart was steadily increasing its pace.

"And what if I don't join your cause?"

"We'll leave you alone. But you'll miss out on a lotta gold."

Cas was silent for quite some time. He had heard of the Capocrimine. Anyone from Mitras who didn't know who they were would be dubbed as trash. He wasn't one to join gangs and involve himself in any kind of social circle, but he couldn't brush off the fact that they said they could use someone like him.

Being born with a silver spoon, Cas felt as if he needed to do more. He didn't really have to prove anything since he was an intelligent man. A bride was no problem, hence him not being in a rush. His life was practically laid out in front of him. It was all too... smooth-sailing that he wanted to know the feeling of adrenaline. And this situation was feeding him.

"That easy? That's how you recruit people? Going to parties and handing whiskey?"

"For the most part, no. But your a special case. We'll give you two days to give us a response."

The man bowed and started to make his way back to the party. His tracks were stopped when he heard Cas' yell out to him.

"Why wait? I'll join. I'd only bore myself having to wait 2 days."

Though Cas did not see, the man smirked at his quick answer. He continued his way back to the party.

"We'll send instructions 2 days from now, it's good to see you Mr. Finn." He added before he closed the door on Cas.

Still recalling the events that had happen, Cas could feel his heart beat racing and his palms sweat like crazy. Trying his best to control his breathing, he sat down on the bench and ruffled his hair. He stared at the grass for a few good minutes.

Finally pulling himself together, he stood up and took a last sip of his whiskey.

The next hours were a blur for Cas.

Each hour and day that went by, he was paranoid as to when the message would arrive. Had they forgotten him already? Was that all a joke? How were they going to contact him? He slapped his forehead when he realized he never bothered to ask for the name of the man he had been talking to that night.

Walking around the halls in their estate, he walked towards his mother's room. He felt bored and wanted to annoy her for a few good minutes. When he opened her doors, the room was empty. Guessing that both his parents had errands to do, he went to the kitchen instead. There he found one of his favorite caretakers, Gertrude.

"Hey, G. What's available for my mouth to munch on?"

Gertrude smiled as the young man sat down and lazily leaned on the counter. Pinching his cheeks till he let out a scream, she happily took out some bread and grape jam. She knew Cas was a sucker for the combination.

"Ahh, you know me too well G!"

Taking the spreader from Cas, Gertrude began preparing a sandwich for the child she had taken care of for practically a portion of her life.

"Where's mom and dad, by the way?" Cas asked as he chewed on his sandwich. He winced in pain as the aging woman flicked his forehead. She always managed to instill manners on him. Because he never met his grandmother, Gertrude was the closest one he would ever get.

"Do not talk with your mouth full, young sir." She replied as she wiped the crumbs off the counter. "They went to the center to have some chat with a client, so I was told by your mother. They should be back at night fall."

When he finished his sandwich, he offered to wash the dishes as he knew that Gertrude still had other things to take care of.

"Oh by the way, you have letter. I placed it by the table in the reception area. Have you been contacting a bride, Cas?"

"No. Why would you say that G? I don't see myself getting married yet."

"Well, the letter looked expensive. The envelope was crisp and not to mention sturdy. The seal was delicately made too..."

Feeling a hunch as to who it was from, Cas thanked Gertrude and headed towards the reception area. There lying flat on the table was the envelope. It was black with golden edges. The seal was gold with the letter 'C' right in the center of it. Hurriedly, he ran to his room to avoid anyone being tangled into this web he had just created.

The letter barely had any contents. It only had instructions to go to a certain place at a certain time. There was nothing more to it. He would try going there tonight. It was also specific in instructing Cas not to bring any arms with him. Not that he had any.

Night had arrived and Cas made sure that no one had been following him. Everything he was doing now felt so foreign to him.

Just as he arrived at the meeting ground, he saw a familiar carriage. It's body was navy blue with golden trimmings. The horses were white and healthier compared to others. It was theirs.

There was a voice in his head telling him to go back and do something else more within the laws.

No.

He shook his head and made his way inside the building.

It was dimly lit with barely any lamps. The silence surrounding him sent a ringing to his ears that caused him to be a little more sensitive than usual. Each footstep sent an echo that seemed to go on for a few minutes before being drowned by his next step. His breathing was the only other thing he could hear.

The scent of the room felt off. It almost smelled like almonds. Almonds on the brink of expiring. He crinkled his nose and used his sleeve to mask the odor.

Finally his sight adjusted to the darkness. The end of the corridor had a double door. When his skin made contact with the handles, it sent chills down his spine at how cold they were. Luckily, the doors were unlocked. Opening the doors sent a small gust of wind on his face. He was met with a brightly lit room that had nothing but 3 people tied to a chair each.

Moving closer, their faces were covered with a sack. If he would have guessed, the stains on the sack were blood. Their bodies seemed to be cloaked with cloth. The only skin showing was their necks. Looking at their breathing, it was slow and even. Cas concluded that they might have been knocked unconscious.

"You came, Mr. Finn."

Turning his back towards the voice, he was greeted by the same man.

"Yeah. Nothing else to do. Who're they?"

Walking closer to him, the man circled around Cas but his eyes were glued to the three unknown people.

"2 of these 3 people, are your key to joining the Capocrimine. With them are the vials you can drink."

Cas tilted his head. Vials caught his attention. Judging the man, he knew that questions would lead to nowhere. Trying to remember everything he had underwent.

"It was the scent wasn't it?"

"Attentive as always, Mr. Finn. Fear not, the Capo has insisted to make things interesting. So he left you a note somewhere here in this room."

Cas' eyes were now examining his surroundings as the man spoke.

"I wish you luck and have fun, Mr. Finn."

With that he left the room and a rather loud rusty click coming from the door. The sense of urgency came rushing through his veins.

Hurrying towards the 3 groups of people, he quickly saw how a note had been lazily inserted into the unknown person's tied up hands. Quickly taking it, he read the contents of the note.

"A strong back but work not, Legs as strong but work not." He read out loud. His eyebrows furrowed at the lame attempt at the riddle. Yet, he felt uneasy with what he had read.

When he was younger, because of how busy his parents were, Cas spent his time drowning himself with books and novels till he had nothing else to read in their library. Gertrude managed to choose the appropriate topics for him till he seemed fit for heavier topics like politics within the military and the like. One of his favorites were when Gertrude would throw random riddles at him to solve. One riddle would mean one book.

This one was a classic to him.

Examining whatever parts the chair had to offer, he saw how one of it's legs were uneven. The small material keeping it stable looked to be of cement. There was a patch of paint on it. Examining it closely on all fours, he saw how it was similar to the walls around him. Standing up, he suddenly felt dizzy. He could feel his sight blurring for a few seconds before taking a hold of the situation once more. Taking a breather, he slowly made his way to the walls surrounding him.

Feeling for any lever or hidden button, he felt the cold walls using his palms. After what seemed like 20 minutes or so, he decided to sit down. His head was starting to throb. The want to finish the task quickly crept onto him but his body was saying otherwise. Pushing himself up once more, he checked behind the draped curtains for anything out of the ordinary, and found something he did.

There was a small hallow area by the floor trimmings. Inserting his hand in the crooks, he felt some kind of cold metal brush his fingertip. His forearm was now half way in till he finally managed to pull the object out. It was a Smith 568 Revolver. Checking the cylinder, it was loaded with 4 Winchester bullets.

"Very quick, Mr. Finn."

Following the voice, he was met with the same man he had talked with not too long ago.

"What now?" Cas asked with a strained voice. His breathing was getting heavier by the minute.

"What do you think is next? You're already at 67%."

Remembering that the vials were somewhere with the unconscious bodies, he dragged his feet towards the three. Almost fumbling as he neared the closest one to him. When his head landed on the thigh of the unknown person, he heard a grunt coming from them. Jolting his head up, his worst fear was confirmed.

"You know what to do, Mr. Finn."

"Cas? Are you hurt?"

Hearing his father's voice caused him to tremble. His eyes darted to the other figure. The smaller one.

"I-I'm fine dad."

Taking the sack off of the father, the unknown man backed away from the scene. He examined Cas like a titan with two heads. Waiting for his next move.

"Do what you have to do, son."

"Wh--"

"You have to do this, Cassian. It's alright."

"Do as your father says, my love..." A muffled voice came from the smaller body.

"M-mom, why?"

"You'll know soon enough." His father answered. There was a pained yet proud look in his eye. One that Cas had never seen before. "I'm already a dying man. You inhaled all those fumes on your way here. Save yourself and do it. They stitched the vial on my scalp. You have to do it, Cas."

"I... I can't."

"Everything will be explained once this test is done. We are no longer needed, love. It's your time now." His mother softly stated. Though he couldn't see it, Cas could tell that his mother was trying her best to hold back her tears.

"What is your decision, Mr. Finn?"

Slowly standing up, he backed away from the group of people. His head was frenzied with all kinds of thoughts with what to do next.

He thought of shooting the unknown man, but he was inside a building he had not explored. There was no guarantee that they were alone. He had also juggled with the thought of doing the inevitable and saving himself. That would also mean him knowing the truth as to what the heck was going on. Or, he could just... end the chapter of his life by choosing to let whatever toxic fumes he had inhaled overtake him.

His mind wandered to the third body. Who was that anyway?

"Honey, you're running out of time. We'll be okay."

Her voice managed to snap him out of his thoughts. For a moment, he felt his heart stop beating.

With shaky hands, he aimed the revolver and shot. Just as the bullets were fired, he closed his eyes shut. Hearing the sounds of the chairs fall back, caused him to drop on his knees. Regaining his breathing, he felt hot tears escaping his eyes. The trembling had now taken over his body. Why was he able to do that? He kept thinking to himself.

Lifting his gaze, he saw the 2 now lifeless bodies in front of him. Crawling his way, he mustered up all of his strength to search for the vials. He felt the vial near his father's ears. Stitched loosely. Just enough for him to wiggle it out. His hair stood on all ends with the thought of what he was doing.

Making his way towards the other body, he shakily removed the sack covering his mother's face. Seeing the color drained from her light blue eyes would surely haunt him in his dreams. His left hand cradled her cheek while his free one searched for the second vial. He felt it on her nape. Stitched as well.

"You make me sick. You know that?" There was a small chuckle with his whisper.

He couldn't help but whisper to the unknown man who was now leaned against the wall near the door.

Taking the two vials, he opened one after the other. Drinking one followed by the other, he gargled them before swallowing. It took a while but Cas started to feel his head clear up and his breathing return to normal.

"You think you're done, Mr. Finn?"

"This is mockery now isn't it?"

"You still have time. The nearest doctor is a 20 minute run from here."

Standing up, he walked towards the third and last unknown body. Taking the sack off, he was met a badly bruised up Emery. Sighing, he managed to untie the ropes and lifted her. Mentally, he thanked himself this lady had a small build.

"Regardless of the outcome, you have passed the test."

"Who the hell are you?" Cas asked before leaving the room.

"I'll send your rewards to your address. Welcome to the Capocrimine, Bulls-eye."

Furrowing his brows, Cas didn't bother listening on what the man had said. He began running towards the said doctor.

When he did arrive, Emery was immediately taken care of. A few stitches on her faces and a bandage on her arm, other than that, he was told her vitals were stable and that there was nothing to worry about. Asking the doctor, he was glad that it would be fine to bring her to his home that way Gertrude could take care of her.

Glad that he thought of using the carriage, he carefully placed Emery on the cushioned seat and made his way back to his home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> a/n:
> 
> this... was very long... but there's more to this ;) gomen for the late upload :( this special training is frying my brains so much huhuhu the drafts are starting to pile but rest assures, once this week is over, I'll be back with my normal upload schedule :)
> 
> till then, take care ya'll!
> 
> ps. Rengoku Kyojuro is hot. 🥴🤭


	37. Everything (part 3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back~ back again xD

"Was it really like that? I can't remember much." Emery asked as she snuggled into Cas' arms. She lifted her head to see his face.

"More or less. I'm just glad the doctor was not far from where you were..."

"How many years has it been?

Cas mentally calculated. How many years has it been? As he gently ruffled Emery's hair with his fingers, he tallied the sum.

"4 years?"

Emery hummed and rested her head on his shoulder. Her eyes felt heavier as the minutes went by. Cas noticed and adjusted his position so she could sleep better. He only had a few hours left with her before having to leave for another mission. This time, he was going to go and join some party with a bunch of military personnel.

Normally, he wouldn't have much of a problem when it came to parties. This one was a little tricky. Somewhere along the way, he had succumbed to his pride and boasted, to a number he was not comfortable with, to people that he was the coveted Bulls-eye. In a sense, he was proud that he maintained his families title.

His eyebrows creased a little at that thought.

\- -

_4 years ago, he came back to his estate after the vile initiation. His head throbbed with questions. Looking at his physical state, he was a mess. He had't noticed that his shirt was now soiled with bits of dust and blood. He felt a crawl coming up his spine at the thought of who owned the stains. A feeling of sadness and guilt made their way a few seconds after. The only thing pushing him forward was what his father had told him._

_What did they mean by everything would be explained after everything? Why was there no other choice? All these thoughts and more were stabbing his mind that was desperate for answers._

_Remembering that his reward was to be sent after the horrific event, he stared at the sleeping girl before making his way back to the front door._

_With trembling knees, he managed to reach the entrance and knock. His hands were cold, vision was blurring a little, and his breathing became uneven. Anxiety seemed to be taking over._

_"Cassian? What in wall's name happened to you?" There was fear in Gertrude's eyes. After a second of assessing what she saw, she knew immediately what had happened. Dreading this day, she stared at the broken boy and waited for his next action._

_His shoulders slumped. Hot tears started to fall from his face. Not losing a second, he grabbed onto Gertrude and gave her a tight hug as he silently wailed his anger, confusion, and pain._

_Gertrude simply hugged the boy back and comfort him._

_The two of them stayed there for who knows how many minutes._

_"You made them proud, Cas. I know." She spoke in hushed tones. Making sure they were soft but audible enough._

_"I have so many questions. I have too many questions, G. I-I-I don't know what to do anymore."_

_Pushing his body gently, Gertrude led the boy to the living room. Making him compose himself, she excused herself and went towards the library._

_Cas on the other hand, stared at his shirt once more. He gripped on the soiled cloth and practically ripped it off. Quickly and roughly taking his arms off the sleeves, he threw the cloth to the wall where it fell and landed softly on the floor. His eyes were glued to it. His teeth gritted as he clenched his knuckles till they were white._

_"If there is one thing your mother would want you to do, it would be to let them go."_

_Cas jumped at Gertrude's voice. In her arms were a towel and a box. Accepting the towel given to him, he wrapped himself up and waited for Gertrude to start whatever it was she had to say. Carefully, she placed the box in between them._

_The box was nothing special. It was wooden with rusted trimmings. It had a small pad lock attached to it. He wasn't too knowledgeable when it came to ages of wood but he guessed it was around 20 to 30 years old, give or take. _

_"Before you open it, I have to tell you one thing... No. Warn would be a better word." She took Cas' had and held on to it tightly. "The world you are entering now is a foul and cruel world. Only the strong survive. You have to be strong in this one, Cas. Mostly because you have no other option."_

_Taking the box and handing it to Cas, she took a key out from her pocket and gave it to the shaken boy._

_Slowly, unlocked the box and his face contorted into one of utter confusion and shock. He stared at Gertrude and to the box, back and forth. Judging by Cas' reaction, Gertrude placed her hand on his shoulder and gave him everything she knew._

_"You're parents knew that today was their last day. That's why they made sure to bring a carriage along that way if something happens, you would have it at your disposal. Now, what you see there is what your father used when he was Bulls-eye."_

_"What is this? Some sick heirloom I should be proud of?"_

_"It all depends on you. Should you continue to use it or make one for yourself, it's all on you."_

_Taking the contents from the box, he laid them out on the table to examine them better. First, was a MCM-Margo. It's entire body was black. The grip had an excellent feel to it. It was lightweight, giving it the appearance of a toy gun you could by for a cheap price. Turning it over, its slide had an engraving on it._

_"So... you mean to say that dad... was Bulls-eye? And that man called me that same name? Am I taking over? What am I supposed to take over with? I barely know shit about them?"_

_"In time, you will. But for now, I want you to know that if you want to back away from all this, you still can."_

_"You just told me I have no other option, G. Make up your mind."_

_"I'm serious Cassian. There is another way but it would mean you throwing everything and running away. Constantly. With no guarantee that you'll make it or not."_

_His eyes went back to the hand gun. Though his heart was in shambles, he couldn't deny that being placed under life and death circumstances was pretty awesome. The feeling of adrenaline building and rising was something he started to yearn for. The moment he step foot and left his dead parents to save the girl._

_The second content was a letter. The familiar penmanship belonged to his mother. Gertrude gave him a nod to let him read the letter._ Wanting _to hear what Gertrude had to say, he read it aloud._

_"Cas, you must have a thousand questions in your head. Why did you do what you have to do? What are we to the Capocrimine? Why were we there? Why not have other people do it? I know. But fear not, my sweet Cas. We did this all for you. Your father and I tried our best to give you a normal life as much as we could extend it._

_Sadly, time ran out. There is only one thing you should focus on. Find something to keep you sane, Cassian. Something that will pull you down and slap you back into reality. When you do, that's when you will be worthy of being called your father's title._

_Who is your father? He is, though not by choice, Bulls-eye. Before we had you, he was doing his job as I was doing mine. We met in one of the longer missions bestowed to us. By the time I found out I was bearing you, we decided to drop everything and run. It was all smooth. We had you. We forged a strong bond with Gertrude. But the constant running was draining for all of us. We decided once and for all to end it and face the Capocrimine._

_When we did, nothing went according to plan. Your father and I were beaten and placed in the cell to rot with cyanide as an added bonus. We thought of a plan to make sure we could still raise you to fend for yourself. _

_We managed to strike a deal. Raise you till you were ready to become the successor of your father. We were not expecting for him to agree, but the timeline given to us was more than we had hoped for._

_You must know that if you decide to turn your back, you have our full support. You are not meant for what me and your father had to do. You need to know that you get to make a choice. Gertrude will guide you in whatever it is you wish to do. You can confide all your secrets to her. Trust her like you trust us. Just make sure to find something or someone to keep you grounded. The rest will fall to place._

_You are my son and I know you will make the best decision,_

_Mom."_

_There was silence in the room. The ticking of the clocks were as loud as they could be. Cas felt as if his whole world was spinning. Putting the letter back into the box, he lowered his head and closed his eyes. Bringing his palms to his face, he tried to absorb every single thing being thrown at him. It was too much, but he needed to make a choice._

_\- -_

"Cas? Did you space out again?"

His thoughts were cut. Emery was staring at him with her tantalizing eyes. Giving him a soft smile, she ruffled his hair and massaged his scalp till she saw him relax.

"Stay with me. Don't space out."

"Sorry. I was just... lost in thought."

"Where will you go again?"

"I'm just joining a party later. No big deal. As much as I'd love to flaunt your brain and wit, I can't bring you along."

Giving him a pout, she booped his nose with hers.

"No fair."

Pulling herself from her fiance's embrace, she sat down and fixed her hair. Standing up, she walked towards their shared closet and took out a medium sized box. Not expecting that sudden gesture, Cas sat down and waited for Emery to sit herself down. Placing the box in between them, she poked his shoulder as a sign to open it.

Cautiously, he untied the ribbon and opened the lid. Inside was a white long sleeved shirt that was crisp and clean to the bone. Beside it was a navy blue necktie. Looking into her lover's eyes, she was waiting for his reaction. Knowing that he had to attend a party, she decided to buy new clothes for him.

"I love your choice of color, Emy. I love your gift. Imma wear it tonight."

"No amount of gifts can express how thankful I am for you. You saved me, Cas. I owe you more than apparel."

Cas giggled and leaned his forehead on hers. Both of them smiling like idiots at the scenery that had unfolded. Though it was a slow process, Cas found his solitude with Emery. During the nights where he had guilt take over, she was always there to lend a shoulder. Joyous events or depressing ones, Emery would always accept him with open arms. No questions asked. It took a few months till she saw something else other than brotherly love within the boy.

"Nah, you saved me in ways you just can't imagine."Giving her a peck on the lips, Cas was rewarded with a giggle coming from his fiance. "I'll try my best to come back early, okay?"

"It's okay. Take your time. I understand that your job makes you do this." She squinted her eyes and stared at him. "Are you still not going to tell me what it is you really do?"

Flicking her forehead, Cas took the box and made his way to the bathroom to ready himself.

Yanking the reins of his horse Cas was now outside the venue. Adjusting his tie a little, he gave his horse to the caretaker and made his way inside.

Inside the venue, he could see all the military emblems as far as the eye could see. Soldiers, Privates, and even Commanders were all present. He swallowed a bit of saliva before going down the stairs to mingle with the others. There was only one thing he had to do, and that was to gather information as to where the high ranking soldiers had been placed. Of course, he had to be as cautious as ever. 

Taking a glass of rum, he began talking to the superiors he knew of. Nothing but chit chat and small talk. He knew it would be stupid for him to ask right there and then. After a few glasses, he saw how the officers were now getting affected.

"So, as you all know, my family is among the wealthiest here in Mitras. I would like to extend whatever help I can." Cas said with sureness in his voice.

"Ahh, looks like it was worth it after all to join this event." One of the officers commented. "We are in need of a few supplies, Mr. Finn!"

"Just tell me your stations and I will gladly send you aid." He gave a court bow. This was too easy.

He managed to get the addresses of the 3 soldiers. His job was almost done and he could finally get the hell out of the party. Seeing Shadis in the corner talking to some random soldier, Cas made his way by avoiding each person . His sight was cut when a shoulder emerged in his way.

"You must be Mr. Finn?" A dark silky voice greeted him. His blonde hair neatly kept. A Survey Corps emblem stitched onto his trench coat. Shit.

"Yes. And you must be the Commander Erwin Smith, is that correct?" No denying, Cas felt intimidated by the man standing before him.

"Shall we take this conversation outside?" The commander asked while giving him a gently push on the shoulder.

With no choice, he gave a curt smile and followed the commander out the doors. His mind went to the holster in his back. He was ready to fire it in case. Looking over his shoulder, he could see another tall man who... seemed to be sniffing him? Not sure as to who it was and what to do, he decided that it was indeed best to follow the commander outside.

"So what brings you here, Commander?" Cas initiated the conversation.

"Purely personal business. I like to indulge in conversations with the others, from time to time."

"And you brought me here for exactly what purpose, Commander Erwin?"

"I need protection. As do you, Mr. Finn?"

"P-pardon?"

"It has come to my attention that the Capocrimine has been eyeing the Survey Corps for walls knows whatever reason. Seeing as I am the head of the corps, I need to have allies. And you, Mr. Finn, is the perfect ally. You are Bulls-eye, are you not?"

Placing his hands inside his pocket, Cas wiped the sweat off. He was not expecting this at all.

"Indeed I am, but why should a man who kill titans, ask help from a man who kills... humans?" Cas cocked his head as he finished his question.

"You and me both are pawns in this hell we call home. One thing is certain though, the Survey Corps value humanity. The Capocrimine have questionable motives, and I am sure you are well aware of that."

He made a point. Cas would not deny that there were nights where he would question why he had to do what he had to do. His thoughts went back to his home. Emery and Gertrude were all he had left. Those 2 were the only people keeping him moving. All he could do now was sigh.

"What's in it for me, Smith?"

"Watch your tone, kid." The other man scowled at the informality.

"It's alright Mike." Commander Erwin nods at Mike. "A place in the Survey Corps. A place where you won't have to hide or run away."

"Who said I was running away from anything?"

"In my short time as a Commander, one thing I've learned to pick up was the look of fear in one's eyes. Something that you have, Mr. Finn."

Cas decided to keep silent. His hand attempted to reach for his weapon but his thoughts once more landed on the two women. He had always drowned in fear that the Capocrimine might take them away as easily as they had with his parents. Perhaps being able to drop everything and dedicate himself to something else would mean a window of opportunity to make sure that they were in safer and trusted hands. Perhaps by joining the military, he would be able to throw away the guilt he had been carrying for 4 years now. Just maybe.

"Take all the time you need. Think about it, Mr. Finn. If you can afford to choose whom to kill, you can choose a much better path. It will not be easy, but the pathway to saving humanity will always be rewarding."

A few moments later, Cas was left alone. Sitting on a bench, he loosened his tie and ruffled his hair.

He recalled the main reason why he ever entered the Capo. It wasn't his parents. It wasn't because of the adrenaline. It was all because he was bored. Nothing else to do. That single train of thought caused him to spiral down and end up to where he was now. A high profiled criminal in Mitras. Abusing his military immunity to it's full content.

For once, Cas felt disgusted.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n:
> 
> and guess what? the next chapter is up ;) double upload for a week of absence :*


	38. Everything (part 4)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO the previous chapter was longer than intended despite me trying to summarize Cas life xD and that i was gone for a week, here is a double upload XD and yes i will still upload tomorrow ;)

He wasn't sure as to how long he had stayed at the bench.

For a moment, he felt his head fall. Cas hadn't noticed but he somehow drifted off to sleep. Glancing at the window, the party was still ongoing. There were still as much people as there were a while ago. He could hear the men yelling and laughing all the way out. With hazy thoughts, he stood up and went back to the party. His thoughts stuck on Commander Erwin and his words.

He was well aware that there is no true freedom in the Survey Corps unless death is involved. And death is one thing he still does not want to go through. Yet, the opportunity to be free from the chains of hurting people would be a good thing to experience.

Cas caught up in his mind that ultimately lead him to fail the mission. Despite looking for the other officials, or at least those whose names were on the list, he just couldn't find them anymore. His heart quickened at the thought of what might happen to him due to his negligence. This would be the first time he ever failed, so he might just get a pass.

With nothing much to do, Cas went back outside and asked for his horse. He shifted his weight from one foot to another, waiting for the caretaker to return. When his eyes went landed on his horse, he felt that something was wrong.

Jumping onto his horse, he kicked his steed and dashed towards his house.

In order to conceal himself, Cas halted his horse a block away from their estate. Slowly walking his way to the gates, he counted a few guards patrolling the area. His mind wandered to the two women inside. Forcing himself to think positively, he used one of his hidden passageways. With a grateful sigh, he crawled his way till he was finally inside the gates.

Seeking for an open window, he found one by the kitchen. With a little struggle on his end, he managed to climb his way and enter. The lights were off so he stayed still until he adjusted to the darkness surrounding him. Opening the doors, he mentally thanked his mother for having a house with a generous amount of windows. He saw that there were 4 people guarding the corridors.

Making his way out as if nothing happened, he walked his way to the 4 unknown men.

"And what in walls name are you lot doing in my house?"

Each of them turned and pointed their guns at him. One of them touching the tip of his nose. He focused on the nuzzle and stared at the man.

"Kinda obvious you'd do that mate."

Within a milisecond, Cas ducked and kicked the shins of the guard causing him to lose balance. Before any of them could react, Cas managed to hold on to the nuzzle and take control of the gun. Grabbing the man's collar, he used him as a human shield. Before any of the remaining guards could react, he pointed the gun upwards and shot the bulb.

Shocked with the sudden option, Cas managed to shoot 2 of the 3 men before the last one composed himself. He lowered his gun down in an attempt to make conversation.

"Where are the women?"

"Down there with the boss." His eye was focused and Cas could see his finger resting on the trigger just waiting for the right moment to shoot. Not bothering with how his fellow worker was being used as a shield.

"You probs know who I am, right? The great Bullse-eye? Ring a bell?"

"So what if it does?"

"Take me to them. Or I swear to wall maria that I will shoot you and your little buddy right here with zero hesitation."

Upon hearing his name, the man lowered his gun. There was a smirk on his face as he began leading Cas down the halls of his own home. They were walking towards the living room. Still using his makeshift human shield, Cas touched the nuzzle onto the back and prepared to pull the trigger when necessary.

When they arrived, he was face to face with a whole bunch of suited men. Armed and suited men.

Seated on the sofa was the man all of them guarded. On the floor, two men had pinned Gertrude to the ground. Her eyes closed and her face bruised. Anger started forming in Cas' mind at the sight before him. No one had the right to touch his family. Wandering his eyes once more, Emery was not in sight. He felt relieved knowing she might be somewhere in the house hiding.

"My oh my, having a party in my house?" Trying his best to sound unfazed, Cas showed them a great smile. Still clinging on to the body and trigger.

"Indeed we are." The man sitting on the sofa replied. His voice was deep and his accent different. "Join us, Bulls-eye."

"Nah. I don't think so. But, if you let Gertrude go, I might change my mind."

The man cocked his head and motioned his hand at a a group of men. They immediately encircled Cas. Not wanting to cause a scene knowing that Gertrude might be harmed, he let go of the human shield and lowered his gun down. The man he held hostage landed a punch on his cheek along with a spit to his face.

"Disgusting."

A snarl was given before the guard took his gun back.

"Tell me, Cassian. How was your little chat with Commander Erwin?" The man 

"Spying on one another now, are we?"

"A little bird whispered in my ear not too long ago. Told me seemed to be... putting it into consideration. That was a false report, I hope."

"What if it wasn't?"

"Then you failed, Bulls-eye. Something that you swore not to do."

"I never swore anything to the lot of you."

"You are speaking to the Capo himself, Mr. Finn. Hold your tongue or there won't be one much longer." The familiar face of the unknown man said. The same unknown man from 4 years ago.

"Leave him be, Angelo. He's not worth our time. Take the old maid and bring her to me. We have some unfinished business with 'er." The Capo said with his head hung low. Cas couldn't see his eyes due to his fedora hat. 

Upon hearing what they might do to Gertrude, he headbutted the guard holding on to him. Causing the guard to lose balance, Cas managed to stand up and move closer to the Capo. His eyes were filled with anger. A few other guards tried to detain him but ultimately failed when they were met by a swift kick onto their faces.

Each passing minute felt like hours to Cas. It almost felt as if there was a never ending line of men waiting to throw their bodies at him with full force. He could feel his strength draining with each thud he heard. His muscles ached and his clothes soiled once with the familiar sight of blood and dirt.

Somehow, he managed to slip himself and draw closer to the Capo. He was a mere 3 meters away. It was enough to land a blow onto his face. Gritting his teeth, he mustered all his strength onto his fist and aimed for the cheek. Just when he thought it would land, his body fell to the floor. His lower left rib was throbbing with pain. Pushing himself up, he gripped onto his shirt as drops of blood started falling from the wound.

"About time you arrived, Alessandria." There was a hint of mischievousness to the Capo's voice.

Looking at the direction of the gunshot, he saw the familiar green orbs. For a second, he felt his heart stop beating. His mind went blank.

"Emery?" A crack made its way into his voice. His gaze shifted back to the Capo who was now standing and adjusting his fedora.

"Looks like the two of you have some catching up to do, no?"

Cas stayed silent as he applied pressure onto his wound. His mind was gathering every single puzzle piece laid out before him. His brow furrowed and forehead creased with frustration as his mind failed to come up with something. His eyes ventured to Gertrude who laid half awake a few meters from him, about to be dragged away from him. 

Looking for the Capo, he had already left the room.

His shoulders slumped as he stared into Emery's eyes. If that even was her name. There was no anger in his eyes. There was no bitter feelings boiling inside of him. Just emptiness.

"Tell me, Emmy, was everything a lie?" Desperation was crawling up to him. He let go of his wound.

"Just following orders, Cas." Whatever sweetness her voice carried before was nowhere to be heard. He was thankful that she was keeping his eyes on him.

"Did I treat you right?"

"What difference would it make?"

"Everything." Cas' voice remained monotone. He could feel his eyes watering. Letting go of a few tears, he didn't give a shit anymore. "Tell me, Emmy, when did you start? When did we start? No, fuck that. Was there an 'us' to you?"

"The moment you entered that party 4 years ago. That's when it all started. My father told me that you were the son of Altor Finn. You were the thing he promised would take over his stead in exchange for freedom. Now, what happens when someone bargains a baby for freedom? A load of trouble."

"So I'm nothing but a mission to you?"

There was silence between the two. Cas knew she was calculating her next move.

"Emmy?"

"Alessandria."

"A beautiful name I might say..." Cas could feel himself zoning out. Looking back at Gertrude, he felt a tide of gratefulness hit him when they had left her there. Badly beaten but seeing the steady rise and fall of her chest gave him hope. With his body kissing the bloodstained floor, he stared at his trembling hand. He had only just realized that the guards he hit a while ago were still unconscious. And armed.

"Tell me, Alessandria. Was there a point in time... where you thought you could drop everything and stay with me?" His eyes landed on her hands. Searching for the last string that connected them together. It was still there. He absentmindedly shook his head as more tears came out. He needed to let everything out right now.

Alessandria stayed silent as she stared at the crying man before her. She thought to herself, _was_ there a point where she had faltered and forgot the point of her mission? Did she slowly fall for her assignment? Assessing Gertrude, she couldn't help but remember the small moments they had together. Talking and sharing about false childhoods and recipes.

"Aren't you going to answer?"

"Asking will get you nowhere, Cas." She flinched as she saw Cas attempting to stand up. Seeing him in the shirt that she bought, bloodied and practically dying, was something else. Snapping out of her thoughts, she quickly pointed her gun at him once more.

"You really are fearless, you know that?" Cas couldn't help but smile at his fiance. Thinking of her being his fiance caused his heart to clench with pain. He couldn't help but feel idiotic as to how he failed to see any sort of clue that would tie her up with the Capo. "How did you do it, Emmy? How did you hide yourself so well?"

"Whenever you went away, I trailed you close enough for you not to notice. Whenever you had your doubts, I would always make sure that you ended up going back to us. Because remember, there would be no Cassian if it wasn't for the generosity of my dear father."

"Did you ever see me the same way I saw you?"

Alessandria's eyes widened at the question. Breaking their eye contact, she felt a sudden pain grow on her stomach followed by a loud bang. Slowly blood started forming on her shirt. Jerking her head up, she was now face to face with Cas. Before her body could touch the ground, Cas caught her and slowly went down with her. He slowly placed her head on his lap.

Before she could move any further, Cas shot once more. This time at her left thigh. Immediately her scream filled the room. There was anger in her eyes but it all faded when she looked into Cas' eyes once more. She visibly relaxed. The way Cas patted her head made her calm.

"Why?" There was a hint of shakiness in her voice.

"I can never get angry at you, you know that." He consoled her as he caressed her cheek. Her eyes would twitch as each tear fell on her face.

"Stop this pity party. I know you hate me."

Cas flicked her forehead. He earned a small smile from the woman.

"It's not pity, love. Though to be frank, I'm just... disappointed. I'll have to get even for that."

Knowing where this was going, Alessandria held on to the caressing hand on her face.

"What will you do after?"

"Make a new name for myself. Rid of everything that has to do with me and the Capo."

"I was there when you talked with Commander Erwin. You'll join the scouts I presume?"

"I might. I'll have to take care of G first." Both of them looked at Gertrude who still laid unconscious.

Adjusting Alessandria's head, Cas gently placed her down and stood up. Taking in one last look at his fiance. She returned the gesture. Seeing her in a growing pool of her blood was something that would give him nightmares for the years to come.

"For the record, there was a time where I thought I lo--"

Not wanting to hear her any further, Cas pulled the trigger and shot her thyroid. Once he saw the light disappear from her eyes, he shot her right eye as well. The last and final kill that Bulls-eye will ever do in 9 years.

Taking Gertrude, he managed to sneak out of his own house and went back to the doctor he had taken Alessandria to. Thankful that it was only a few minutes ride by horse, the two of them arrived safely.

"Dr. Yeager, I trust you with my friend." Cas said as the doctor carefully wrapped his wounds. One thing he appreciated with Grisha was that he doesn't ask questions unless given permission to. A few small talk happened but other than that, it was just Cas and his thoughts. Luckily, he had only sustained light injuries despite being shot at.

Once he was left alone in his corner, Cas wondered what he would do now that he was throwing in the towel. Everything had happened way too soon for his liking. If he were to continue living his life as a Mitras man, he wouldn't amount to anything with how the Capo does things. Clearing his name would be tedious and he was tired of running around.

There was only one place left to go.

The day Gertrude was good to go, the two of them searched for a decent building in Trost. Helping Gertrude settle in, Cas broke the news that he had enlisted himself in the military. He would soon be joining the scouts once he was done with the torture Shadis would prepare once he sees his name.

"Will you be fine here, G?"

"Buying me this building and giving me the chance to earn money from rent, you still continue to spoil me my dear." Gertrude ruffled Cas' hair. She wouldn't tell him but she was ecstatic that Cas had decided to finally live on his own. Even though she could see that pain was still written in his eyes, she knew all too well that Cas would manage.

"Take care, alright?" Cas whispered as he hugged onto Gertrude tightly.

"I will. Till we meet again?"

"Till we meet again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n:
> 
> and that my friends concludes Cassian's story hihihi damn that was long~ gomen for the filler chapters xD good news is Levi is returning tomorrow :D how is he anyway? along with Hange and the others? see ya'll tomorrow <3


	39. Meanwhile...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happened to Levi and the gang?

There was nothing but the sound of hooves and wind as the other group made their way through the streets. Levi lead the group towards the building. Realizing that they were only a few blocks away, he abruptly stopped his horse. Everyone followed suit.

"Off your horses. Now."

"What is it, Levi?" Hange asked as all of them dismounted from their horses.

"Switch to our gears. It would be better to have them someplace else in case things don't turn out as planned."

"But, the plan was to arrive in horseback." Jean questioned.

"Do what you think you must, Kirschtein. But for now, I suggest we screw the plan and do it our way. I don't trust that person one bit." Levi answered as he fastened the reins of his horse to a pole.

Once everyone secured their horses they made their way towards the MP's. The streets were dimly lit in this part of town. Each of their eyes darted from one corner to another to make sure that they weren't being followed. The moment Levi gave the signal, all of them shot their gears and made their way through the streets. 

Hange saw the three of you from the corner of her eyes. Signalling to Levi what she had saw, the group landed on a roof not far from where the guards were stationed. 

All 4 of them saw You, Cas, and Aiden. Donning the cloaks and creeping towards the guards. Everyone, except Levi, had their jaws slightly opened. The sight of you aiming a gun at a person was something they wouldn't see everyday. Hating the MP's was one thing, but the fact that you were now about to pull the trigger was unsettling.

In his mind, Levi was hoping that you wouldn't shoot. It was bad enough that you had to do something that early.

The sound of guns firing simultaneously caused Hange, Armin, and Jean's eyes to widen.

"What the fuck?!" Jean silently exclaimed. His breathing was heavy and labored.

"Calm down, Jean..." Hange tried to comfort the shaken boy. She too was shocked at what had just happened but this was no time to succumb to her emotions. They weren't supposed to be there in the first place, to be seen spying on them would be a big no-no. Glancing at Levi, Hange awaited for orders.

Seeing that there was a hint of relief in your eyes, Levi released the breath he had been holding. Sure, he knew that you were at one point going to turn your back, he just didn't know exactly what it was you were going to do. Or, how far you were willing to look like the bad guy.

"Captain Levi, please tell me this is all part of the plan." Armin asked. His eyes never leaving you as you tied up the 3 men.

"I honestly don't know, Armin." He answered.

Everyone was now staring at the three figures doing their thing. Seeing that Cas and you had some whispered conversations, Jean almost shot out his gear, luckily, Hange and Armin stopped him. They knew Jean was feeling betrayed and that he was about to lose one of his best friends. Levi looked at him and sighed. Slumping his shoulders, Levi gave Jean a pat on the head.

"I know what you're feeling. You may think this is betrayal and all that shit, yes. But, you know her more than I do. You've been with her for who knows how long. Clear your thoughts and focus, Jean. Do you think she'd actually do crazy shit? She might or she might not." His eyes landed on you now. From the roof, he could see every little dart your eyes made. "What would she make you do, Jean?"

Jean was silent but calmed down tremendously. The captain was right.

"She'd kick my ass and tell me to get my thoughts straight." He mumbled to himself.

"Exactly. Now do that or I will have to kick your ass."

Now that you three had entered the door, Levi stood up and directed the others to maneuver towards the building behind what they were currently facing. He also added that they would resume walking once they are 3 buildings away from the main gates of the head quarters.

When they arrived at the main gates, they were met by a few drunk MP's. Scoffing at the sight of them, the group made their way and entered the building.

"Jeez. I bet Annie was the first titan they saw in real life." Jean said to himself.

Hearing the gates close, they were now in the open area. It was wide enough for a hundred soldiers to gather. It walls looked much sturdier compared to the castle the Survey Corps were using. The windows were much larger and it was evident that inside was traced with carpets and drapes.

"Captain Levi. Squad Leader Hange. What are you doing here at this time of night?"

Turning their backs, they were greeted by Commander Nile. Armin and Jean gave him a steady salute. However, their peripheral vision were on each other. Of all the officers to show up, it had to be the commander himself.

"Oi! Nile! How have you been? How's Marie?" Hange spoke up.

Shocked at the sudden show of enthusiasm, Nile answered and began catching up with Hange. It was nothing but small talk till Hange managed to direct all of them towards the doors.

"What exactly are you planning, Hange?" Nile asked. There was a tired look on his face. Despite trying to brush it off, it was too obvious.

"Are they here, Nile?" She replied. It was hushed and much more authoritative than usual

Understanding who she meant, Nile surveyed their surroundings. Seeing that there were a few men glancing at them through the windows. Opening the doors, he lead them to his office. All their strides were wide. The quicker they would enter closed doors, the better. Upon entering his office, he gestured them to sit on the sofa as he locked the doors.

"To answer, yes they are here. Why?"

"They have 2 of our soldiers." Hange talked.

"It really was him. I saw some of their activities. They have Cadet Finn and I presume Cadet (L/N). If you want to get them, their currently at the 3rd floor but I highly suggest you not to do it."

"And why is that?"

"They have guns, Hange. I don't know who's doing it but their smuggling a few heavy artillery. 6 or 7 single boxes if I counted right."

"Did you know that they shot 3 of your men? Finn and (L/N)?" Levi added.

He let out a sigh and scratched his head. Leaning onto the back of his chair, he closed his eyes and stretched. Confused with his actions, Levi couldn't help but 'tch' at him.

"If you have nothing else to give or warn us, Nile, we would gladly leave. We have no intention of st--"

There was a loud bang that had echoed in the silence of the quarters. Standing up, the group ran towards the door. Looking for any signs of people, there were none. Carefully, they made their way to the source of the gun shot.

"Damn it. Damn them all. This is the 2nd time we hear a gun shot in less than an hour..." Jean complained as they silently went down the stairs. His fists clenched tightly. His eyes went to Armin who had been staying silent ever since they left the inn. "You've been silent, Armin. What do you think of the situation?"

All eyes were on Armin. He had been silent all this time.

"I-I'm not sure what to think of all this yet. I can only see what we're seeing. I still have no grasp as to what (Y/N) is going through. But, I will agree on Captain Levi's statement. We shouldn't trust any of the two men."

"Why don't you trust them, Armin?" Hange asked.

"I think it's because no matter how hard a person tries, a piece of who they were before always stays with them. It just takes the right stimulation to get it out of a person's memory."

All of them stood still. Each one of them had different thoughts.

Who was to be trusted?

Why did they have to shoot those men?

Who was shot?

Remembering the reason why they went down, Levi motioned them to move forward once again. Hearing the echoes of doors opening, he gestured them to move slower and make sure to conceal themselves.

Luckily, they had a clear view of what was going on.

A bunch of suited men were still crowded by the entrance. Despite trying their hardest to hear what was going on, they heard nothing. It felt like forever till finally, the men moved and paved way for a muscular man wearing a fedora to exit the room. Following him were 2 men pointing their guns at Cas' and your back. 

All their eyes widened when it had finally registered who they were carrying. The way your arm wrapped Cas' bleeding shoulder, the way you angled your body only indicated that something had happened between those doors. When Aiden stepped out of the room without a scratch, Levi felt his blood boil. Gritting his teeth, he watched as the two of you were lead down a stair way, presumably the cells.

"Calm down, short stack."

"I know."

"What should we do now?" Armin asked.

"I hate to say this but we have to go." Hange replied.

"And why is that?" Levi added with an irritated tone.

"We're already at day 3, we can come back tomorrow with a proper plan of action." Hange tried her best to level her voice knowing that her friend was consumed in rising anger. "You, yourself, know that we have to go back and take a full grasp of the situation. She'll be fine, Levi."

She'll be fine.

Those words kept running through his mind. Trying his best not to show it, Levi was breaking inside. All he wanted to do was to take his blades and slash out every single person who had witnessed the gun firing. All he wanted to do was to run and take you (and maybe Cas) away from those assholes. But, he knew that Hange was right. Anything done in haste due to emotions would only result to more fatalities.

"Fine. Let's go back."

Rescuing you would have to wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -  
huehuehue there you go :)
> 
> also... Valentines is coming up ;) I might make a special Valentines day one shot eyyyy hope for the best ;)
> 
> Next upload will be on Feb 17 and 19 :* See ya'll soon!


	40. Hide and Hickey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short Valentine's Day One-shot :)

It was pretty late into the morning. You had woke up late so Captain Levi decided to make you practice double time. For who knows how many hours, you were swinging, jumping, running, and whatever possible action you could do with a 3DMG. You didn't mind, though. The feeling of being whisked into the air was something you would never get tired of. Especially if there were no titans around.

Your hooks landed on a tree and you swung yourself to land. Catching your breath, you sat down on the large branch. Admiring the way the leaves swayed with the wind, your eyes wandered to an open area where you saw the clouds. Being able to see the clouds made you calm and sleepy.

A sudden bang caused you to jump up and stand up with a salute. Seeing who it was, your heart raced and felt your cheeks heat up. Yes, the two of you have been lowkey dating but it was always behind closed doors. It had been quite a few days since you last saw each other, so the fact that he had followed you was enough to give you contentment.

Waving off the salute, he walked towards you and flicked your forehead.

"The heck was that for, Captain?" You complained as you rubbed the area he had flicked.

"For being late, (Y/N)."

Calling you by your first name, you knew there was no one else around.

"Well, it's not my fault I'm still a cadet and your a captain. At least I don't have to do paperwork like a certain someone I know."

"Tch." Now that he was beside you, he sat down and patted the area next to him. "Sit."

Following his orders, you sat down in front of him. The sunlight that found its way through the trees kissed his face. Despite his bangs covering his eyes, you could still peak at how gray they were. The way his eyes tended to shift from blue to gray was always breathtaking.

"Quit staring, you brat."

Pouting, you rolled your eyes and looked up instead. Full attention at the rustling leaves, you let your guard down knowing nothing bad could happen.

"Oi. I'm almost out of tea. Go with me later."

Simply nodding a reply, you continued to absorb what nature had to offer. Little did you know that the person you were with was dying to make eye contact with you. Wanting to get your attention, he saw a leaf and blew it to your face. Shocked at what he had just done, you responded by blowing the leaf back at him.

"What made you come here, Levi?" Granting his silent wish, you looked at him and knew you were slowly turning pink.

"You were gone for a while. I thought a titan ate you or some shit."

"Oh yeah?"

He merely blinked. His face was devoid of any emotion whatsoever.

Not being able to contain it, you giggled. Covering your mouth a bit in hopes of stifling it. His reaction priceless.

"The fuck are you laughing about?"

"The fact that you're trying to make small talk, and struggling, is a sight to see." Staring into his eyes, you were able to savor the moment when his eyes widened with shock and relaxed a few seconds later. "It's cute."

"You're out of your mind for thinking like that."

"Is it?" Placing your index finger on your chin, you squinted your eyes. Still fixated on him. "Then why does your gaze keep shifting from here to here..."

Pointing at your lips and your eyes, you saw his eye twitch a bit. That was victory enough for you.

"D'you miss me that m--"

Cutting you off, he jumped at you. Pinning you to the ground. His eyes bore holes into you yet there was no denying that you were loving every second. With your mouth an inch open, his eyes wandered to them and lingered. Biting your lip to suppress a smile, he met your gaze once more.

"Do I miss you? Was that your statement?" His voice was low and controlled. Just the way you liked it. Luckily, his head wasn't rested on your chest, otherwise he'd tease you of how fast your heart rate was.

"W-what if it was?" Trying your best to sound challenged, you ultimately failed.

The moment you realized he was leaning in to you made your breath hitch. The way he smirked before closing the distance made your rested legs feel like jelly.

Once your lips met, you felt your stomach flutter. He intertwined his hands with yours. Making sure that they were above your head to give him enough dominance. When you tried to let go of his hand to play with his hair, he tightened his grip causing you to moan in despair.

Releasing his lips from yours, he trailed kisses down your chin and made his way to your neck. Letting go of your hands, you immediately held on to his soft hair and grabbed on to it. His slow and steady pace was painful yet the reward you would get would suffice soon enough.

Nudging your jaw a bit, he had much better access to your neck. The next thing you knew, a pleasurable sucking sensation on your neck made you moan and grip his hair tighter. Hearing the sound you made caused his member to twitch.

Using his elbows as support, he faced you once more. With cheeks tainted with red, eyes that showed lust, and breath that was heavy, he had done his job right. Seeing how big the hickey he made caused his eyebrows to rise.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself, (Y/N)..." Levi leaned in and whispered to your ear. "You're trembling too. Do I affect you that much?"

Not being able to reply, you saw the corner of his lip rise.

Next thing you knew, he stood up and extended an arm to help you up. Gladly, you accepted the support. He wasn't done yet, though. Just when you stood up, he pulled you towards him and your chests met. His arm wrapped around your waist.

"Let's continue this in my office, shall we?"

Just as your legs would cave in, you were hoisted onto his shoulder as he shot his 3DMG.

\- -

The doors to his office banged open.

Both of your lips were dancing as he tried to close the doors without looking. It was all too distracting the way you wrapped your arms around his neck, fingers gripping onto his hair and scratching his undercut.

Once the doors were closed, he bent a little to carry you. His arms holding onto your butt while you wrapped your legs around his waist.

Each movement was accompanied with biting and sucking. Not bothering to ask for entry, both your tongues explored in sync. You had no idea where this would go but you were soon gently placed on his desk. His hands found their way to your shoulders and slid your jacket off. When your hands were free, you eagerly took his off.

Hands touching each other, he slowly pushed you down the table. When your back landed on the desk, Levi pecked your face with small kisses. The feather-like kisses tickled your cheek. Making his way back to your lips, you gave him the entrance he asked for.

Feeling playful, you let go of the kiss and slowly made your way to his neck. Pulling his hair to give you a better angle, he obliged and soon moaned at the sensation you gave him.

"My oh my, someone liked that." You teased before licking the area to ease the pain. Placing your lips just below his jaw made him gasp, another opportunity to give him one more love mark. "Now we're even, Ackerman."

He raised his brow and gave off his signature sound.

"I'm not letting you take the lead..." Levi slowly unbuttoned your uniform. His eyes not letting go of yours.

Mentally, you recalled what bra you chose and thanked yourself for not choosing what the military had to offer.

"Hmm, a gray one today." The teasing tone was much stronger now. Though it had only been twice where the two of you had a heated make out session, he always took note of what color bra you used.

Pulling yourself up, you untied his cravat and kissed him once more as you mirrored his action. When all his buttons were undone, you absorbed the glory of his chiseled to perfection torso. Third time seeing his upper body yet it still gave you chills as to how well toned he was.

"Enjoying the view?"

"Is it too obvious?" You managed to say before he dived his way to your exposed collar bone. He kissed your tattoo as well. One word received one kiss.

He slid his arms to your back and found the bra clasp. Just as he unhooked them both your highs were cut.

A knock on the door presented itself.

"Levi. It's Erwin."

Both your eyes widened with panic. Yes, even his showed panic.

"Shit..." Both of you said in unison.

"Under the desk now."

"But your clothes!"

"Shut up. Leave it to me."

Sitting himself down and making sure you were comfortable enough between his legs, he buttoned his shirt as fast as he could. Leaving 3 opened just so.

"Come in."

Erwin opened the door only to be followed by Hange. Shit was all he could think of.

Seeing the state of Levi with his cravat on the floor and his jacket (which was yours but they couldn't tell) not too far from it caused them to give a worried stare. The 3 opened buttons also garnered attention.

"Are you alright, Levi?" Erwin asked as he sat himself on the chair across Levi. His bushy eyebrows furrowed with concern.

"AND WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO YOUR NECK?" Hange exclaimed as she leaned in closer. Erwin craned his neck as well.

Letting out a sigh, he shot them a look. You on the other hand, buried your face on his thigh to prevent laughing.

"Eren managed to hit me this morning. That brat's getting better at hand to hand combat." The response was quick enough for them to question further.

Hange and Erwin simply stared at each other.

"Well, I hope your not preoccupied at the moment. We need to discuss about what to do in Stohess."

Levi looked at you and you looked at him. There was despair in your eyes. You were trapped. Sneaking in a small pat on your head, he told Erwin to proceed.

The meeting took longer than expected. Levi felt your head become heavier on his lap. Stealing a glance, he noticed that you fell asleep. The steady rise and fall of your shoulders made him smirk. Though he too was getting bored of the meeting.

"As of now, that's all we have planned. Do you have anything else to add, Levi?" Erwin asked. His arms crossed on his chest. His eyes examining your jacket one more time. When his eyes met with Hange, they exchanged nods.

"No. Now get the hell out of my office. I still have a shit ton of work to do thanks to you." Levi replied. Stretching carefully as not to disturb you.

"Come to think of it, have you seen (Y/N)? I haven't seen her since this morning and we still have to finalize some minor adjustments to the blueprints." Hange asked with energy.

"And why does she concern me?"

"Well, she told me that you were useful when the two of you went to Northern Trost." Hange was practically on the edge of her seat. Her glasses reflected the light causing her to look twice the maniac Levi saw her to be.

"That does not concern you, Shitty Glasses."

"Didn't you return with a similar bruise as well, Levi?" Erwin commented. The Commander couldn't help but play along with the teasing.

"If you both don't step out of my office, I will break both of your legs."

Laughter filled the room as the two officers stood up. They knew better not to anger the little man.

"When she wakes up, tell her to go to the lab. Okay, Shortstack?"

Levi's eyes widened and sighed. Of course there was no way in hell he could outsmart them when it came to his private life. Especially now that you were involved.

"Now get her out from under your table, Levi. I bet her legs are all stiff by now." Erwin said with an added wink.

"Get out of my damn office."

With one more burst of laughter from Hange, the two of them finally left.

Somehow, Levi managed to carry you without waking you up. Making his way to his bedroom, he placed you as softly as he could and buttoned your shirt. Before he could resist the temptation of joining you, he went back outside and took both your garments and folded them neatly on his desk.

When he finally laid down beside you, he wrapped his arms around you and you nuzzled onto his chest. Placing a kiss on your head, he allowed himself the pleasure of falling asleep once again with you in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this sort of takes place a few days after Levi and you return from Northern Trost and a few days before leaving for Stohess ;) If I made any mistakes with the insertion of dates... gomen~ I tried my best to incorporate it into the timeline :3
> 
> I hope ya'll enjoyed this small one shot :) leave a comment to tell me what ya'll think? 
> 
> See you guys on Feb 17 and 18 :)


	41. A Trial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a small timeskip, you woke up after a few days.

**Present time w/ a tiny time skip**

You woke up inside an unfamiliar bedroom. Sitting yourself up, you immediately fell back to your pillow. With a throbbing head, you stretched your neck only to feel a stinging sensation. Touching the spot, you felt a gauze pad around it. Mentally, you asked yourself just how long you had been knocked out? What did they do again? Where is Cas?

This time, you carefully sat up and looked around the room.

The room was something similar to what you had back in the Survey Corps. But the sheets were much cleaner and the bed much softer. Seeing there was a window across your bed, you gingerly stood up and limped your way to check. You were still in Stohess. Meaning, this was an MP's room.

"(Y/N)."

You turned and saw Cas. He was leaning on the door frame. He was pale and bruised.

"What... happened, Cas?"

"I'm not sure. What I do know is that 6 days have passed."

You felt the world fall. It was way passed the time Commander Erwin had given you lot. Walking back towards your bed, you sat down and placed grabbed your pillow. Exerting a little effort to calm your breathing. Feeling the bed dip, you felt a hand pat your shoulder.

"I know. We'll get through this. Let's look at the bright side for now. Our wounds have healed. Though both of us look and somewhat smell like shit, we'll get through this."

"It's been 6 days, Cas. Hange and the others? L-" You wanted to say his name but it hurt you too much. The fact that you were now with the Capo knowing that he knows you were going to turn, was heavy.

"I tried to send a letter to them but I chose wrong. Tsk. My precious face has been bruised once more."

"What's with the bandages?"

Cas looked away and stared intently at the ground. Not bothering to filter out his emotions, you saw just how little he knew what was going on.

"Tracker? Adrenaline? Poison? I dunno pipsqueak. We're awake but we know how shit goes around here. They like it subtle and slow." He reached for the gauze pad on his neck and held on to it delicately. "I only woke up 3 days ago with a headache just like you.

"How did you know it was 6 days? Maybe you miscalculated or some shit?"

"They were kind enough to leave us some food to eat. The eggs have started to develop a rather funky scent so I would say around 5-7 days. I say 6 to make it safe." He paused to ruffle his hair. You deduced that this was a mannerism of his when he wasn't so sure of what to do. "I threw it away. In case you were hungry."

"Yeah, I'd rather have the soup we have at the HQ."

There was silence as the two of you absorbed and tried to recall what had happened. Both your memories were way too foggy. Your thoughts were cut by a knock on the door. Standing up, with nothing to arm yourselves in, the two of you waited till the person would present himself.

When the doors opened, you were face to face with one of those tattoo faced guards.

"You two. Out." His voice was raspy and loud.

Following his orders, You and Cas went outside and followed him. To calm yourselves, you intertwined your pinky fingers. Just having a familiar touch in the hell hole you two were in was enough solace.

The two of you were lead to a familiar hallway. Seeing the big wooden doors, you recognized the place. Behind the doors was the same courtroom Eren was put on trial. Being so deep in your thoughts, you jumped when you felt iron handcuffs being placed on yours and Cas' wrists.

When the doors opened, you were greeted with no other than the same group, but with a few men in suits, who were in Eren's trial. 

"What the hell?" You whispered as you looked at Cas. The look on his face was similar. Pushed forward, the two of you moved and dropped to your knees. The same place where Eren had his face beaten to a pulp. Hearing the pillars lock the both of you down, you took a look at all the faces in the area.

"G?"

Turning to look at Cas, you followed where his head was focused at. You saw Gertrude. Feeling your heart ache as you finally saw her again. Though you wished it had been in better circumstances. From the distance you noticed how puffy and tired her eyes were. Cas looked at you and pointed using his lips. Turning your head, you were face to face with the Survey Corps. Commander Erwin was standing along side Levi and Hange. Armin and Jean were there as well.

Your eyes landed at Levi. The bags under his eyes were much darker and you knew he barely had any sleep. You looked away and closed your eyes. Embarrassment flooded your system. Having your friends seeing you like this was one thing you never thought about.

"Please welcome the judge for today's trial, Stefano Bianchi."

The room fell silent as the man wearing an expensive suit entered. He adjusted his fedora as he walked towards his seat.

Cas felt his hair stand and his jaw drop.

"(Y-Y/N)? You've never seen the Capo right?" His tone was hushed. Fear all over it. Looking at Cas one more time, you felt your body tremble.

Looking up at the group of officers who would lead the trial, your gaze stuck to the man wearing the suit. That was him. The person who made your life a living hell. Clenching your fists, you gritted your teeth and gave him all the eye contact you could. Cas did the same.

"Presented here are Cadet Cassian Finn and Cadet (Y/N) Avery (L/N). This trial will signify whether they are guilty of serving the Capocrimine and the murder for the families of the jury." The announcer said.

You heard ringing in your ears. You looked at the jury and saw some familiar faces. Faces of whom you've never seen within the last few years of your life. All of them looked angry and determined to have the both of you guilty.

"Cas..." You whispered as the trial went on.

"What?"

"How in walls name did this happen?" Staring at the ground, you felt the stares of people creating a hole in your chest.

"Beats me. But I think I know that this is the part of the plan. Remember?"

"I don't recall hearing the word public trial or embarrassment being mentioned."

When you tried to move your hand, you realized that the cuffs were put on loosely. All the gears in your head started ticking again. Glancing at the people in the court, you were looking for that one face. The face that would answer the only question running through your mind. Behind the men, you saw your target. Those green eyes that covered your mouth as your comrade got shot. He was donning a fedora as well. The moment your eyes locked with his, he gave you a wink.

Letting out a lengthy exhale, you tapped on the chains. It was barely audible but Cas understood.

Almost an hour had passed and the trial was almost over. You were thrown insults here and there, same with Cas. Yet the way the Capo's eyebrows were raised was all too clear that this was the test. If your hunch was correct, Aiden had managed to sell the two of you out. As an added burn, what better way to test out loyalty than at a public trial for all to see. 

Your eyes fell on Levi. Giving him a small nod, his eyes widened for a fraction of a second. Seeing his mouth move a bit, you knew he made a 'tch' sound.

Only a few minutes left till chaos would happen.

Aiden was waiting for the verdict. That one word that would trigger the small hand grenade he held on to. He managed to concentrate the amount to cause enough impact to send people flying not to hurt them. Enough to open a hole in the wall for the Capo to escape. Injure not kill, that was his mantra.

If things would go according to how he planned things, then it would fall right into place. Just a few more minutes and he would know.

"After deliberate thought of the jury, I hereby declare both cadets as guilty."

There. 

Just as the Capo uttered his last word, Aiden gave Cas and you a nod.

Both of you stood up in unison and effortlessly slid the cuffs from your wrists. 

You saw something in the air and grabbed Cas by his forearm to brace for impact. Just as the small grenade landed, you managed to hide behind judge's table.

The loud bang was followed by muffled screams and dust. 

Standing up to take a look at the mess, you saw how a handful of people bleeding. Your eyes trailed to your friends who were safe and Gertrude who was shielded by a few guards. Your hair stood up as you felt a jolt of adrenaline rush through you.

"Cas. (Y/N)."

Snapping out of your trans, you and Cas were now face to face with Aiden.

"I'll explain later. But we have to get out of here before you get a chance to talk with the Capo. Here take these." Aiden said as he handed you the guns you had used days ago. "Go. Go. Go."

All three of you stood up and dashed to the exit. You being last of the three. Daring not to look back you pushed forward.

"(Y/N)!"

You halted and turned around. Your heart ached at the pain in Hange's voice.

"What are you doing?! Whatever problem it is you have, we can talk it out..." Hange said. This was the serious Hange you were making eye contact with.

"Yeah! Quit acting up and shoot him!" Jean yelled.

Looking over your shoulder, you saw the Capocrimine himself. His beady black eyes staring down at you. Seeing what it is you would do next. Bringing your gaze back at the worried faces your friends had, you chewed roughly at your inner cheek. The taste of blood now occupied your mouth.

"(Y/N). Put the gun down." Erwin said. His palms facing you.

"If you are really with us once more, Killshot, make your move." Stefano said mockingly behind you. His breath brushed the back of your ear. You hadn't noticed he had moved closer to you. "Pull the trigger to show to us that you are once again affiliated with us."

You mentally cursed at how your friends stayed inside the court room after all the chaos had happened. All of them presumed hand to hand battle stances. Yet, you knew they were ready to jump the moment they see you pull the trigger. Doing your best to look unfazed at the choice presented, you stood up straight and turned to look at the Capo.

"If that's what it takes, Capocrimine." Your voice was much more level than you expected it to be.

"Oi! (Y/N)! Don't listen to a word he's saying!" Jean yelled from across the room. Trying his best to keep his ground as Armin held on to his arm. "We're you're family remember?"

You stared at Jean. The pain in his eyes caused yours to well up with tears. Swallowing the lump in your throat, you shook your head and gave him a smirk.

"You were nothing but a pawn to me. All of you." That sounded fake but it would have to do. "Ut serve habito, Capocrimine."

Raising the Remington 700, you angled your body just right and pulled the trigger.

"What the god damn fuck?! (Y/N)?!" Jean screamed as he ran towards the bleeding body of his fellow comrade.

"(Y/N)... Why?" Armin's voice sounded broken from where you were standing.

You dared to look into Erwin's eyes. They showed nothing. You didn't know what to think or what he was thinking as well. You wanted to say you were sorry and that you would do everything in your power to make things right.

An idea came to your mind. Though none of them knew what it meant, you only wished they would get the message. 

The Capocrimine turned his back to leave the room via the gaping hole the explosion caused. Before you could leave, you took out the last ring you had, the one with Killshot engraved on the band and threw it. Armin caught it with ease and stared at you with so much questions in his mind.

Wasting not a second more, you left them to tend to their wounded team mate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> A/N:
> 
> so... who did you shoot? :0
> 
> ps. sorry if this chapter was a little in the face xD and a time skip huehue i just had to do it to set the pace a bit :3 gomen-gomen :c


	42. Rings

"Where are we going, Aiden?" Cas asked as the three of you hopped onto your horses following a black carriage.

"The Capo's place. This is the only chance we can speak freely so ask away." Aiden replied as he looked over his shoulder. The look on your faces were nothing but confusion. Save for yours that looked pained.

"What the hell was the trial for?"

"The trial was his way of teasing you two. As for the explosion, it was his fail-safe plan on leaving the area if ever you two didn't join in."

"I knew it..." You muttered to yourself as you held on tighter to your reins. "Why the heck did you shoot me though?"

"I had to. Tricking the Capo isn't something we can do easily. That was the only way and I apologize for shooting you both. I had no choice." There was some remorse to Aiden's voice. Either that or he was having difficulty in controlling his horse. For now, you and Cas eyed each other and accepted his apology.

"Ever heard of a bullet for a bullet?" You teased.

Hearing a chuckle from the male, you sighed out of relief. The uncertainty was still strong but for now, you would have to go with the flow.

The plan was now back in action and the three of you were now within the Capocrimine once more.

Your mind wandered back to the scenery you had left your friends with. A heavy burden landed on your shoulders. The way you pulled the trigger without hesitation caused your skin to crawl. It made you question just how ruthless were you? How blind were you to follow orders? 

Seeing how Hange's body hit the floor and accumulate a puddle of red crimson was pulling every single string your heart had. The way you evaded her eye contact made you want to puke. Hearing Jean telling you that you were family to him was torture enough. Erwin would probably discharge you the moment he sets foot in the Survey Corps HQ with what he had witnessed.

And, Levi. You dragged him into this mess.

He knew that you would join the Capo but until what expense? You didn't know. You didn't dare look at him.

"Oi."

Snapping back to reality, you turned to look at Cas. He gave you a sympathetic smile.

"I know that look. You gave them your last ring right?"

"Yeah. I doubt they understand."

"Where did you shoot Hange?"

"Nothing near serious. Just the lower part of her right rib. Though it will be a pain to move, it'll heal faster compared to her abdomen or leg. I made sure she can still walk." The mental picture of Hange bleeding entered your mind once more. Shaking your head, you forced yourself to focus and move forward. It would be a wasted effort if you would continue on sulking.

"Why Hange though?" Aiden asked. He slowed down his horse to uniform your pacing.

"Because Levi would be too obvious. If someone would have to stop me, I need it to be him. Jean and Armin won't make much of an impact. It was a gamble but I know that the spy was there. Hange was the perfect target."

"You seemed to put it into thought..." Cas added.

"Yeah... It's been on my mind these past few days. Just sucks that I had to do it."

The rest of the ride was silent. A few minutes more and the carriage finally arrived to a stop.

"Ah shit. I hate this already." Cas muttered.

\- -

"I'm telling you, I'm fine." Hange said as she tried to calm an angry Jean down.

"How can you be fine when she shot you, Hange?"

Jean had been pacing back and forth for quite some time already. Armin had stopped trying to talk some sense into him knowing his mind was too crowded at the moment.

The three were in the hospital wing of the MP's HQ.

"Look. The bullet that shot me didn't even hit a vital point! The nurse said that I would heal in 2 weeks time. It's faster than my leg being shot. This was a calculated risk on her end, Jean." Hange toned her voice down. Seeing that she was being serious, Jean flopped onto the sofa nearby and rested his head on his palms.

"She's right Jean. I also thought about it. The ring she left with us. I've been thinking what it means." Armin paused as he took out the ring in his pocket. "Perhaps this is a token in their language. Like they're owe us a favor or something similar."

"You're right my little coconut." Hange said as she sat beside Armin. Asking for the ring, Armin gently placed it on her palms. Examining the band, she saw the engraving. "In one of her journals, it was written that these rings were given to people whom they owe service to. Like a binding contract of some sort. Each member is given 4 and this right here is one of them.

"If my theory is right, she had to do that in order to gain the Capo's trust. I'm just not sure why she chose Hange."

"Because if she chose me, it would be too obvious." Levi stated as he walked into the room along side Erwin. "There's a mole among the corps. We're still finding out who they are."

"How are you, Hange?" Erwin asked. Seeing her shirt stained with blood was enough to make him wince the tiniest bit.

"I'm fine, Erwin." She replied with a wide smile.

"So what do we do now, Commander?" Jean asked. His thoughts were much more organized now that he had heard what each person had to say. 

There was silence as Erwin was formulating a plan in his head. They were already way passed their dead line. The possibility of losing 2 of his skilled soldiers was increasing as the days go by. Sitting himself down, he let out a tired sigh.

"It's bad enough that we've been tangled up in this mess. They gave us 3 days but I managed to extend it till today. We can continue this but we have to do it in our respective HQ. However, this will be on unofficial business starting tomorrow. Rest assured cadets, we will get your friend back."

All of them nodded at his statement.

"Hange, may I see the ring?"

Hange threw it and Erwin caught it. He rummaged through the pocket in his scouts jacket and took out a similar one. Hange, Jean, and Armin walked closer to the commander to examine the two pieces of jewelry. They saw the words 'Killshot' and 'Bulls-eye' engraved on the band.

"Cassian gave me his a few years back. Both of them owe us. We can only hope that both of them know what they are doing." Keeping the rings and placing them in his pocket, Erwin stood up and motioned Levi to leave the others.

When they exited the room, Levi shadowed Erwin and waited for him to make the move.

"How are you, Levi?"

Levi raised his brow at Erwin's question.

"I know you two were close. With the events that unfolded, I need to know how you're feeling. It's not good to bottle things up."

It took a while but Levi was able to muster up his answer.

"I feel like shit. But, I knew she'd do that."

Patting Levi on his shoulder. The two men proceeded to walk down the corridors til they reached Erwin's office. There they conjured up a plan to rescue both you and Cas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> a/n:
> 
> aye :) its a pretty short chapter, so nothing much happened here huhuhu gomen~ i will make it up in the next chapter :) i just needed to include others perspectives since they've been gone for quite some time :)
> 
> see ya'll on 24 and 25 :)


	43. A Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being with the Capocrimine for a few days, the three of you prepare for a gathering with aristocrats and the all too familiar pastor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies I uploaded a day late :( I was so occupied yesterday that I wasn't able to fully edit the whole chapter :'(

You were seated on the edge of the bed. Staring blankly into the green and white walls, your thoughts were tracing the lines from the ceiling to the floor. The sound of hooves and carriages entered through the windows. Stretching your neck a bit, you heard some muscles pop and that gave you a small smirk.

Over by the table, your gaze fixated on 3 boxes. They were made of red pinewood and its unhinged locks were fresh, not a sign of rust. The way they rested lifelessly on the table felt all too ironic.

Clutching your stomach, you felt your guts pushing you to move forward and head over to the kitchen. You had tried. You'd been trying for 3 days. Your ears still remember the all too familiar sound of a locked door. For a second, your vision blurred but you shook your head in hopes that it would all stay put and you could continue your agonizing hunger without dizziness.

Every now and then, your heart rate would increase. Your breathing would get labored. Whether it was because of being sleep deprived or hunger, you weren't sure.

Scratching sounds were heard from the wall by the table. Hurriedly, but also gingerly, you limped towards the source of the sound. Kneeling, you saw as a piece of paper slid through a small crevice. Finally.

After reading what Cas had written to you, you ran to the toilet and immediately flushed it down.

The scouts were making their move. That's what the small piece of paper contained. Your eyes darted to the 3 boxes by the table. Hearing sounds from your stomach made you curl your body a bit before finding the strength to sit down on the chair.

Now that you were facing the table, you removed the lock from the smallest box. Inside was an M-24. Lightly tracing the telescopic sight, you felt as if some new found energy had found its way to your system. Pausing to carefully assess your remaining knowledge you had of your toy, you picked it up and let out a long sigh. Disappointment. With searching eyes, you took not how the Capo made sure that there was not a single bullet inside the box.

Placing it on its stand, you did the same with the other 2 rifles. Gathering the boxes, you placed them by your bedside and stacked them neatly. Just as you stood up, the locks on your door clicked and you stood straight. Holding a firm salute that you hoped would make the cut.

"I see you've opened the small gift I sent you." The man wearing a fancy coat commented as he welcomed himself in. The same 2 body guards from before tailed behind him.

"I have, Capo. Thank you." Sounding a bit awkward, you weren't sure how to address him seeing that you've never really had any face to face communication with the man.

"No, no. Call me Stefano." His beady eyes landed on you. "After all, we are family. Are we not?"

Holding onto his stare was all you could do to reply. That was more than enough though, it was embedded in your system to never talk back to the Capo unless they were words of gratitude. If you were not sure, better keep it in than out.

"You must be wondering why I am here, Killshot." He seated himself on your bed. Dusting the edges to see how much dust had accumulated for the past days he had locked you in. "I have with me your first mission. You are to accompany me, along with Bulls-eye, to the halls in 5 hours. We will be meeting with a few... soldiers we can make bargains with."

You bowed firmly.

Hearing his footsteps go towards you sent shivers down your spine. With no warning whatsoever, your head sprung up as you felt his gloved hand wrap around your neck. Biting your tongue, you made sure not to cause a scene. You winced as he held on tighter until you felt your back hit the wall.

Leaning in closer to your ear, you felt his fingers trace your arm. Slowly, they found their way to your collarbone and finally your jaw. Whatever remaining strength you had left was spent on making sure you would not tremble at what the Capo was doing.

"Just so were clear, Killshot, I know what you lot are planning." His grip tightens causing you to whimper. On instinct, your hands grabbed on to his hoping he would loosen his hold. "Any monkey business during the whole meeting, you can say farewell to your beloved soldier. Or should I say, Humanities Strongest? Is that more proper?"

Your eyes widened at the thought of him doing something to Levi. Letting go of his hand, you allowed him to squeeze once more before finally letting you go. Landing on your knees, you coughed in the air your lungs were deprived of. The skin on your neck somehow felt hot.

"Don't do anything stupid, Killshot. You know far too well what were capable of."

Those were his last words before you heard the locks click again.

For a brief moment, you allowed yourself to breakdown and succumb to the fear and pain inflicted on you. Letting your tears fall as your body trembled from his unwanted touch was the best thing you could do. Whatever negative emotion you had been holding on for 3 days, you had to let it all out in order to stand up and move forward.

Running your fingers through your hair, you grabbed a fistful and tugged on it. A stinging sensation followed. Letting go of your hair, you eyed your bleeding palms. The tip of your fingers covered in crimson liquid. Staring at your trembling fingers, you balled them into a fist before standing up to wash yourself.

It was last minute but you ended up showering. Scrubbing your skin till it was pink. Just to make sure that whatever touch he had given you, washed away down with the water. Stepping outside the washroom, you were met with a white box tied with a red ribbon. The paper material glistened under the sunlight. As you made your towards it, you could see your reflection. This was something expensive, you thought to yourself.

When you opened the box, you were met with a white ensemble. Carefully taking the contents out, you were given a coat, a long sleeved shirt, pants, and even leather boots. All in white. Despite the predicament you were in, you couldn't help but admire their fashion sense.

Not one to lie, you adored how the all white ensemble looked on you. Somehow, you thanked them for starving you, otherwise the all white combination would have made you look bloated. Still, you were looking forward to the occasion. Being all pimped up like an official Capocrimine member meant that the food would be great. Once again, your stomach gave itself away.

Seeing as there was still a little time left, you took a piece of paper and scribbled a note to Cas.

'I look dapper as fuck. I bet you don't.'

Seeing the paper being pulled into the other side gave you an amused smile. Somehow, the two of you were thinking of teasing each other in times like this.

A response immediately found its way through.

'The slit on my dress says otherwise :)'

\- -

The hours seemed to fly by. A moment ago, you were staring at the view from your window, now you were face to face with Cas and Aiden. Both tall men had an amazing ensemble as well.

Cas, who had his hair pulled back, wore an all maroon get up. It matched his hair quite nicely and complimented his eyes tremendously. His suit was double breasted with golden buttons. The ends of his sleeves had golden trimmings on them. The way a golden chain ran from his left epaulet down to his gun flap was really eye candy.

Aiden on the other hand was gifted with an all black combo. From the buttons down to the sleeve straps, everything was jet black. The way the glossy buttons caught light made him look chic. Instead of a golden chain, his was black and it ran from the lapel to his breast pocket.

"Looking fancy, aren't we boys?" You complimented them. Your right hand holding a glass of whiskey.

"You're one to say." Aiden replied with a wink.

"Be careful with the saucy food." Cas added as he took in a big portion of heavenly meat.

Both Aiden and you stared at Cas with amusement and disgust. Still, all three of you were hungry. With the little time set aside for you to eat, you helped yourself to some good food. Each bite and chew you made caused your mouth to water. Not having to eat for 3 days finally paid off.

This was an all too familiar feeling. Having to be locked up and starved in a room? Good ol' Capocrimine fashion. Except, instead of failing a certain task, you were now bestowed one. The fact that all 3 big shots were in the same room caused a bit of tension to those who were of the lowest rank.

"How long till they arrive?" Cas whispered as he took a sip of his beverage.

Aiden surveyed the area. From where the buffet table was set, it was the perfect vantage point to see who were coming and going. Seeing a whole bunch of aristocrats mingling with each other, he stopped eyeing the place once he felt he was the one being surveyed.

"Any moment now." He took a sip of his drink as well. "The moment Commander Erwin enters, our plan is in motion."

"Shall we have a run through of our plan?" Cas said with a smirk. He help up his glass waiting for the two of you to cheers with him.

"There is no plan." Aiden and you said in unison as the three of you clinked glasses.

"Do what we have to do." Cas said just before he finished the remaining amounts of liquor.

The doors opened and in came Stefano and his body guards. Each person bowed their heads and the three of you did the same. Seeing that there were some MP's who where shocked at the show of respect, they whispered among themselves. Now that you were given an opportunity to look at the party goers, you also saw how there were high ranking Wallists bowing to the Capo as well.

"D'you see that old geezer over there?" Aiden said. His eyes fixated on the Wallists. "That's Pastor Nick. He's got some business with the Capo. He's also the gateway for Commander Erwin and the rest to join in on this fiasco."

A waiter seemed to be walking towards the three of you with a tray in hand. Aiden stopped talking. When the man arrived at your front, you were offered some masks. Each masks seemed to be made for each of you since they matched your outfits. Taking the mask of your respective color, the three of you wore them together. Thankful that the masks were nothing fancy, you could still make out their faces.

"Shall we proceed to our stations?" Cas offered as he fastened his mask. The simplicity of his maroon mask seemed to make his eyes shine. Whatever pale blue color they held seemed to have brightened. That or the thought of having a masquerade party was something he missed.

Cas stationed himself by the window. His task within the Capo was to make sure that no one suspicious would near the area of where the Capo was to stay. Not that it was needed but he'd take it over starvation. Aiden was by the back entrance. Whoever entered and exited the party, he needed to take note of their faces and masks. Clothing to just to be sure. You were given the role to roam around and listen in on conversations.

The party went without any distractions. Minding other's business was a bit tiring. Your mouth felt void of any liquid. Walking towards the table, you took a glass of water and chugged it immediately. Before taking a step, you heard a clatter from the hallway. An empty bottle of liquor rolled its way to your foot. Picking it up, you lost balance when a cloth suddenly blocked your field of vision. A calloused hand keeping your mouth closed.

Allowing the attacker to take control of you, you felt the person push you into a dark room. Luckily you caught your balance. The dimly lit room showed enough dirt to last a week of cleaning. And wall forbid you get any dust on your white clad suit. Snapping yourself out of your thoughts, you turned around only to be met by a pair of lips. You felt the person's arm snake around your waist, pulling you closer.

Pushing the pursuant away from you, you were met with a masked man whose hair seemed all too familiar. Your breath hitched when he used his free hand, all while holding onto your suit with his other hand, to remove his black mask. There was a pained relief look in his gray eyes.

Unsteady fingers found their way to his jaw line. Feeling his hand cup your face made your knees buckle.

Not wasting another second, you wrapped your arms around his neck. Inhaling the way he smelled of tea amidst the alcohol serving party. Your hand found its way to his undercut causing him to nuzzle onto your shoulder and immediately tightening his hold on you. Tears started falling as your hands traveled wherever they could, just to make sure this was all real.

"Oi."

You missed his voice. It had been too long.

"I know. We should get out before they suspect shit." You pulled your head away from his. With only a few inches apart, you could feel his breathing brush your skin. He leaned his forehead on yours. His hand cupped your face once more. His thumb gently rubbing against your cheek.

His eyes landed on your neck. Seeing that your neck was quite red with a thumb print bruising he let out his signature 'tch' sound. Feeling your hands bring his face up to establish eye contact, you felt him soften up a tad.

"I'm okay, Levi." You tried to comfort him.

"I'm sorry." He uttered. "I... I wasn't able to protect you like I promised. We took too long and now you were choked. You even lost weight. I'm sorry, (Y/N)."

Bringing him back into your shoulder again, you patted his head as he hugged you tighter once more. Hearing his voice shaky was something you did not want him to do. It had barely been months since he lost his teammates, he must've felt guilt for not being to protect you.

He lifted his head and stared into your eyes.

"I won't fail. Not this time."

"You never did."

Not bothering to do take it slow, the two of you met half way and enjoyed each other's lips once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope ya'll liked this chapter. :) I'll see ya'll on the 3rd of March.
> 
> ps. I'll have to release just one chapter a week to ensure that the quality I write is still there huhuhu I felt that the other chapters were quite... lacking and I guess I do need to calm down and take my time in writing :3 ( it also dawned to me that this baby is slowly approaching it's end T.T very nostalgic to be honest huhu )


	44. Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happened after the kissing?

It was a risk. But a not so thought out or calculated one. You couldn't help it, though. It had been a little too long for you liking. 

The small room you two were in was definitely dusty. Levi felt cringe creep in his system but brushed it all off just to savor the taste of your lips on his. With your hands softly grazing his undercut and tracing the arch of his back, dust was the least of his problems. Pulling you in even closer elicited a quiet moan from you. A smirk formed on his lips as you continued to nip and nibble on his lip.

It took every ounce of his self control not to pin you against the wall and tear apart your useless piece of clothing. But he knew better that the amount of dirt your white ensemble would receive would mean a quarter of bleach and that would be a little too much for his taste. The aching twitch on his member would have to wait.

Resisting the urge to take off his suit was something you never knew you could handle. Knowing that taking it off and throwing it to the germ infested floor would only break the momentum. When he pulled you in closer, you felt his heat radiating from his torso. The amazing feeling of touching and fiddling with his hair was everything you had ever dreamed about the past few days.

Of course, the make shift make out session had to be placed in an abrupt pause.

Panting heavily, the two of you leaned on each other's foreheads as you caught your breaths. Finding your jaw, Levi traced with such feather like weight till he stopped at your somewhat swollen lip. Giving it a peck before stepping back and straighten out his outfit. As he wore his mask, you too managed to snap out of your fantasies and brush of any unwanted particle that made friendship with your white suit.

"I'm assuming you know why we're here." It was more of a statement than a question. His low husky voice filled the dim room.

"Yeah. Pastor Nick is who you guys are after." You confirmed.

"Just know that we're here for you, too. And along with the other assholes."

Hearing him cuss was something you yearned for as well. Not being able to contain the smile on your face, Levi's eyes widened before shaking his head with amusement. Staring into your eyes with his gray one's, he reached out for your hand and squeezed it tight.

"I'm keeping you safe." Levi assured you. "I won't let that shit happen to us again."

As much as you wanted to be on the optimistic side, you still couldn't help but fear for whatever outcome the night had in store. Both of your groups had a plan. None of you confided as to what they were. The only thing that was there was trust that at the end of the day, you two would have each other, whether it would result in failure or victory.

"Meet us at the back entrance." He instructed. "When you're done doing your shit, all of us will wait for the three of you."

The next thing you knew, Levi was now slowly opening the door making sure that no one was by the hallway. Seeing that the coast was clear, he took one last look at your face. 

"Don't die on me, (Y/N)." With that, he closed the door leaving you to ponder on your thoughts as to what you could do.

Making your way out of the room, you scanned the area before jogging back to the venue.

The first thing you did was to scan as to where and who your fellow scouts were. Despite the people wearing masks, their hairstyle would be a definite give away.

There, you saw Jean a few meters away from Cas. If you weren't mistaken, both of them made eye contact for a second before minding their own business. Situated near the private lounge of the higher aristocrats who were gambling, Armin was standing guard. His bright blue eyes gave him away. If Commander Erwin were here, he would most definitely be inside the private lounge.

One more person to look for yet no sign of her. Biting your lip, you felt guilt surge your entire body. Recalling the events that lead to all of this, you had made sure that you positioned the bullet in a way where Hange would not be severely injured. Not being able to see her among the crowd only caused your shoulders to slump before composing yourself.

"Now, now..." A voice came from behind you. "No need to worry, (Y/N)~"

Turning around, you clenched your fists as you saw your squad leader. Your lower lip quivered, you wanted to dive towards her and engulf her in your arms yet you know it would give away everything. The only thing you could do was to look at her in the eyes and hope that she could see just how much pain you were in for doing what you had to do.

"I understand why you did it, baby girl." Hange whispered. "Next time, just give some sorta signal so I can prepare myself, aight?"

Thankful that you were wearing a mask, you felt the material absorb your tears as Hange nudged your elbow and went back into the crowd. Observing how Hange walked, you saw that she maintained balance and not a single limp was present. Releasing a sigh, you were nothing but grateful that the bullet hit her in just the right area. (Even if that undoubtedly sounded dark...)

Everyone was now in the party. Your scouts were now in place as to where they had agreed. Cas and Aiden crossed paths for a while before they switched places. The two men clinked their drinks as they passed each other.

Walking towards Aiden, you managed to grab a bite to eat. All that kissing had made you hungry. When you reached him, he closed the distance and both your shoulders touched. He was facing north while you south.

"There is no plan but the signal is when Pastor Nick gets accompanied out, right?"

"Based on our exchange of letters, yeah. That's pretty much it. After that it's all on us."

The moment that Cas told you two that the house the Capo stopped at was his house, Aiden managed to get a hold of one his followers. There, the exchanging of letters began. It took a full day and 5 pieces of paper to prove that he was not part of the Capo and everything was just a bluff till Commander Erwin gave him the benefit of the doubt. After that, the following day comprised of 4 letters. In its contents were the plan on how to escape, and hopefully end, the Capocrimine.

Other than Cas and you exchanging small notes, the two of you had also communicated with Aiden. Luck made sure that you three were in neighboring rooms.

"Do you have it?"

Feeling your back, the small bump was still there. It was one of the hand guns they had provided you when you stepped into the lobby. Before people started arriving, the same waiter who gave your masks distributed your small weapons.

Though you were not one to judge on sizes, there was some clear doubt in your head as to how you could overcome the next obstacle with only 6 bullets. It's too limited for your liking. Your best record however was 4, but that was purely dumb luck and a clumsy Aiden to distract the people you were aiming for.

"You're overthinking again."

"Damn it. I know." You muttered with a clenched jaw.

"I have a trick up my sleeve." Aiden took something from his pocket and threw it in his drink. It was quick enough for people not to notice. Handing it to you, he continued to scan the area.

"A key? _**(a/n: nO, A DEstINy~)** _To which door?"

"The one next to where Lover-boy and you were having a quickie." He winked and grinned. A satisfying nod to his head as he saw your eyes widen and cheeks flush pink. "Everything we'll need will be in there."

"What about these civilians tho?"

"Don't target the bodyguards, just aim for one."

Just one. Easier said than done. Crowded areas was never your specialty. The risk of missing always increased as bystanders would block your field of view. Aiden glanced at you and snapped his finger. Staring into his emerald eyes, you blinked yourself back into the zone. Chugging the drink till only the lightly poked your upper lip. Turning the glass, the key flopped onto your palm and you handed him the empty glass of fizz.

"Don't forget to lock." He reminded you before you head out back to the hallway.

It felt like forever. Trying to evade the eyes of the Capo's men. It started to sink in that he made you wear white to make you as noticeable as possible. Even if you took it off, or let alone change, that would send one of them in and whatever fail-safe plan you had would end up ruined.

Seeing that a waiter was walking towards the hallway, you trailed him all while making sure that none of them had their eye on you. Somehow, the plan worked and you were now back in the hallway. Remembering which door Levi had dragged you in was too easy. The door next to it was what you were striding at. Putting the key in, you heard the lock click and immediately, you went inside but made sure to keep the door 3 inches open.

Looking for the switch, you felt the matte wall till your fingers touched it. Flicking it with your index, you were blinded for a second till. When you adjusted after 2 seconds, your jaw dropped at the sight in front of you. The boxes that you had seen at the entrance not too long ago were here. Granted that there was only 3 boxes, you panicked a bit after you mentally counted.

One box is missing. With no clue as to which one went missing, you hoped it was the bulkier and weaker of the group. Choosing not to waste another moment with your running thoughts, you took a gander and chose the smallest box. Picking the lock, you were thankful that you chose the box containing the Smith-Weson AR-15 platform. Taking out of the box, you felt under the cloth but grunted as there were no available bullets.

Scanning the room, there was a conveniently placed shelf that stored 2 boxes. Tiptoeing to reach the bigger cardboard box, you heard some items shuffle. Placing it on the floor with a shaky thud, you ripped the tape open and smiled at the treasure cove of your stored ammunition boxes. Grabbing the 5.56mm NTO's, you hurriedly loaded the AR-15.

Strapping it on your shoulder, you decided to peak as to what the contents of the other box was.

"Holy shit. Today is a good day."

Inside the second box were a bunch of your random inventions. One of them happened to be a smoke bomb you made as a prank for Aiden a few years ago. Who knew that one day you would use it in such a serious scenario. Pocketing two pieces, you returned the boxes and slowly exited the room. Upon making sure that no one was around, you stationed yourself at the corner of the stairs.

Jean, Armin, Hange, and even Levi were nowhere to be seen.

Double-checking the premise, you concluded that Pastor Nick was no longer within the crowd.

Your eyes darted to where Aiden was. 

He nodded.

Looking over to Cas, he too nodded.

Letting out a sigh, you reached for the a smoke bomb. Mouthing the word 'catch', Aiden understood and awaited for whatever object you were about to throw at him at such a distance. Throwing the ball all the way to the other side of the room was enough distraction you could ask for.

Just as you readied your stance, you readied your AR-15. Using your left hand, you threw the ball and watched as it glided through the air. A small whoosh sound present amidst all the indistinct chattering going on. The moment Aiden caught it, Cas walked away. He knew all too well that chaos were to follow the next few minutes.

3 seconds. That's how long it took for Aiden to realize what he was holding on to was a smoke bomb. When his eyes went back to you, you were already aiming for the two guards with tattoos. To him it felt as if time slowed down as he let a grin take over his neutral expression.

For the aristocrats, it felt like a blur. One moment, they heard a whizzing sound followed by smoke. As they seemed to absorb the moment, the sound of two gunshots evoked all chaos.

After releasing the trigger, you hurriedly hid behind the pillar to avoid the panicking crowd. Person after person emerged from the gray cloud with fear in their eyes. It was a scenery to behold. People who had zero care in the world were suddenly whacked with reality that money can only take them so far.

It wasn't long till Cas and Aiden found their way to your post.

Slowly, the visibility of the area was getting better. You could make out silhouettes of the tables, chairs, and windows.

"I'll take the private lounge." Cas said.

"I'll check the halls." Aiden added.

"I'll follow the people." You commented.

"10 minutes. If nothing, meet up with the scouts."

You and Aiden nodded at the command given. Sharing one more stare into each other's eyes, the three of you parted ways with rapidly beating hearts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> a/n:
> 
> have a longer chapter :) everyone is finally reunited!
> 
> i tried to make things a little lengthier since the previous chapters were a little... meh for my liking. hope yall liked this :)
> 
> see ya'll next week <3 


	45. Cats and Mouse

_"I'll take the private lounge." Cas said._

_"I'll check the halls." Aiden added._

_"I'll follow the people." You commented._

_"10 minutes. If nothing, meet up with the scouts."_

_You and Aiden nodded at the command given. Sharing one more stare into each other's eyes, the three of you parted ways with rapidly beating hearts._

\- - - - -

People were still panicking. Following them down the hallway towards the back exit seemed like forever. Pushing and shoving, tripping and screaming, those were what you witnessed as you trailed the good for nothing aristocrats. At a safe distance, your eyes were searching for the fedora the Capo wore. All you could see were feathers and poofy hair.

Occasionally you would glance at your hindsight. Each step you took seemed to quicken the beating of your heart. Each dark hallway you'd pass by never failed to send chills down your spine.

By the time everyone had exited the venue, you cautiously stepped out and hid your armor near a potted plant. Thankfully, it was night and the garden was dimly lit by the moon. Double-checking that no one could see the rifle, you slowly made your way through the crowd. Hand at your back, ready to shoot the small pistol when needed.

Regretting that being one with the crowd was ultimately useless, you pushed yourself through the sea of people till you finally breathed in the fresh air. Turning your head back to the group, you started circling the area. Each face you saw was either scared, angry, or filled with suspicion as to why a smoke screen suddenly went off. Some of them dared to look at you. Not letting go of their gaze, they slowly stared at the grass at defeat.

Twice. You surveyed the area twice yet there was no sign of the bastard.

Making sure that no one was looking, you went back to where you hid the rifle and made your way back into the building.

Now that the halls were empty, your senses heightened. Each sound the house made, you jerked your head to the source. Taking even slower steps, you walked back to where Aiden and Cas were supposed to be. Ten minutes was the agreement, you still had a few left to spare and help them.

By the time you reached the lobby, you saw how glass shards littered the carpeted floor. Food had spilled as well. Everything was a mess. In the center, you saw the remnants of the bomb. Despite your mouth being sealed tight, you could still taste the saltiness of the potassium nitrate you had used. There was a bit of effort in your part not to spit the foul taste away.

'Hold up...'

You surveyed the area once more. This time your eyes were wide open and paranoia started to creep in.

'Fuck. The bodies aren't here.'

Trigger finger ready, you closed in on the entrance to the private lounge.

Not seeing the shard of glass, you accidentally stepped on it.

Two rifles pointed at you the moment you entered the room.

You were met with 2 pairs of green and light blue eyes. Both of them etched with fear.

"Chill. It's me."

The two men relaxed and lowered their aim.

"Sorry. We thought you were the guards." Aiden apologized.

"Huddle up." Cas instructed as he exited the lounge.

Following his orders, the three of you had your backs turned on each other. In a triangular formation, your eyes were glued to the lobby while the other two boys had theirs around the private lounge and hallways. Thankfully, the two boys had went to the storage room and took some rifles for them to use.

Your eyes darted to the carpeted floor. There was a pool of blood but the lack of bodies was unsettling. Did you miss? Did you fail to hit them in their target points? But the most important one that kept tugging your paranoia strings were where the two body guards were. It's bad enough that the three of you were up against bulky muscular men with two worded tattoos on their cheeks.

"We have two options here. Meet up with the rest and let the Capo blend in with the rest and save it for some other time. Or, we could search for 10 more minutes and triple check each room as swiftly as we can." Cas suggested with a firm tone. Any sense of mischief was void in his voice. "I don't know how long the scouts will wait for us. We can only gamble that they would adjust to our time frame."

10 minutes. A lot can happen in 10 minutes. Adjusting your hold on the rifle, your eyes scanned the lobby and walls for the 10th time.

"I say we go as a unit." You suggested.

"7 minutes on the ground. 3 minutes on the 2nd floor. If nada, then we get the fuck out of here." Aiden added.

"Proceed with caution."

Needless to say, each door the three of you opened hitched your breaths. Taking turns, the doors would slowly open and a barrel would be the first thing a person would see. Leaving them open would also be a risk on all your safety but time was of the essence. Still working on the ground floor with as much speed the three of you could muster, all while being wary at the same time, was exhausting. Thank the walls your adrenaline rushed through your veins.

6 minutes in and not a trace. Not even blood could be found along the carpet. The first floor had now been fully scoured. Every single door was now open and all three of you were vulnerable to any attack.

"Yeah, we should've started with the 2nd floor..." You thought out loud earning you a snicker from both of them.

Signaling that the coast was clear, Cas still took the lead and guided you towards the 2nd floor. You in the middle, Aiden as the tail.

Just as the three of you reached the middle of the hallway leading to the rooms, Cas lifted his palm. Halting on your tracks, Aiden and you readied your rifles and fingers.

"All the doors are open." Cas whispered as he signaled to enter the room on his right. Following his orders, Aiden took the lead and surveyed the room. You and Cas listened in on your environment for any unwanted squeaks from the hall or rooms.

"Clear."

As quick as can be, the two of you entered the room and closed the door.

"They're here. But those fuckers left the doors open." Cas commented as he ruffled his locks.

"Wouldn't that make things easier?" You asked.

"Yes and no. The thing here is that we, unfortunately, took the cheese and are now trapped." He let out a long sigh and began racking his thoughts as to what route would lead you all to safety.

"What if we played along with their game? Ya know, cat and mouse." Aiden added. "Mice are pretty fast."

All your eyes were on Cas. Your thought wandered to the the two boys. Right now, none of you were being your casual selves. Looking down at your hands, you felt your hairs stand up. Your blood started to boil at the thought of how no matter what you three did, the Capo always managed to find a way back in.

A loud bang interrupted your thoughts. Simultaneously, all three of you ducked and crouched. It was a split second decision but Cas managed to instruct Aiden and you to stick together as he hid behind a piece of furniture. You and the sandy-blonde managed to hide behind a rather large bookshelf.

Communicating once more using signals, Cas gave out an order. The two of you nodded and only hoped that they would shoot once more. They had to.

And they did.

Just as the bullet penetrated the walls, all three of you fired at the count of one. 

Aiden shot the ceiling light. 

Cas fired the lamp. 

You aimed at the switch.

The room was now shrouded in darkness.

Almost in a mocking fashion, the doors slowly opened. The light from the hallway slowly entered and barely lit the room. Each of your hearts were now beating rapidly as the floors creaked with each step taken. Not daring to look, you listened intently on the creaks. Only one person was moving forward. Either the second one was taking guard or was somewhere else in the building.

Sadly the window was not situated for you to see the reflection.

"No point in hiding, you scums." The raspy voice commented as he took another step forward.

If the three of you would shoot this man, there was no guarantee that the other one was on stand by. Shooting at the same time would also mean that one of you would most likely get hit by the bullet. The last one was a long shot, but a possibility taken into consideration.

Another loud bang made it's way. Missing you by only 3 inches. Aiden protectively grabbed your arm and pulled you towards him. Hushing you to calm down and regain composure as softly as he could seeing how shaken you were. Nodding at his efforts, you swallowed some saliva, along with the fear, and held on to the grip even tighter.

Your eyes were stuck on Aiden as he seemed to be communicating with Cas.

It felt like forever but he finally turned to face you.

"Go with the flow, okay?"

"Okay...?" There was a slight hesitation with your answer but you trusted them enough.

There was silence once more. However, it was only shortlived.

"Where's your boss, big guy?" Cas broke the silence. Only causing the tension to rise even more.

The creaking of the floor resumed. It seemed to be getting farther away from you. Aiden peeked through the corner and saw that the man was still keeping his eyes peeled for any movement in the room. He could also see that Cas was taking note and slowly moving around the perimeter of his area.

"C'mon. Don't leave me hangin." There was a slight shake to his voice.

"The boss doesn't approve what you are doing, Bulls-eye."

"Who would, though?"

The man seemed to stop walking. You could hear Aiden's rifle adjusting to his new position. The two of you were now facing each other. Waiting for the time to arrive.

"You ranked number 2, buddy?" Cas asked with a teasing voice. "Pretty sure Killshot over there wouldn't be too happy someone like you took her spot."

Before he could add another taunt, he was cut off by another gun shot. Mentally, he cursed himself for having to sacrifice himself but all this was necessary to go out and save the rest.

"Don't move." You and Aiden said together. Slowly getting out of the corner, the two of you had your barrels pointing at the man.

"Tsk tsk tsk. Such a waste of a gamble." The man huffed as you heard another set of footsteps enter the room with an agonizing pace.

Aiden was now well within shooting range from a very bloody guard number 2. You saw from the corner of your eye that you had managed to hit his lower temple but how he was still living was something beyond your rationale.

You tightened your jaw trying to think of a way to turn the tables around.

If you would shoot, most likely, Aiden and Cas would be shot and left for dead with how close everyone was. If Cas took the lead and shot, it greatly depend on how fast his reflex would be. Still, he would end up being injured at the distance they shared. Should Aiden take the lead, his reflexes would lead him to his demise.

'Damn it.' That's all you could think of.

"Put your weapons down." The man facing Cas ordered.

With no other option, you and Aiden slowly complied.

The fourth gunshot in barely 5 minutes had been shot. Hearing Aiden curse got you to grab onto his shoulder and pull him towards you. Next thing you knew, there was a loud thud right after the trigger was pulled. The second man was now on the floor face down. Examining his body, you saw how wires wrapped around his ankles.

The sound of glass shattering was next. Within a second, you heard the familiar zipping of wires.

Right before your eyes, you saw the hooks of a 3DMG land on the guards face. Wincing at the thought, the man was pulled towards the window with enough force to stagger him and be dragged all the way to the pile of glass shards.

Armin suddenly entered the doorway and immediately tied the second guard by his ankles and hands. Jean followed suit by running towards Cas to make sure his injuries were okay.

An arm slowly found its way around your waist as you were still trying to digest what was happening.

"Armin, take Aiden. Jean, take Cas." Blinking your focus back, you saw the familiar face of Levi. His eyes were stern and his voice as commanding as ever. "We leave now."

Through the same window, he shot out his wires and hooked it up to the nearest tree. Taking your arm, he wrapped your arm around his neck to make sure you wouldn't fall.

What happened next was a blur. You felt the cold wind brush your face as the window slowly got father and farther. Realizing that Levi and the rest had saved your asses, you held on tighter to his neck. Feeling him returning the gesture by pulling you closer to him as the two of you landed on the ground.

The other boys followed not long after.

"Are you okay?" Levi whispered. Not wanting to show PDA, he simply made sure that your hands brushed each other as you walked towards where Hange, Erwin, and probably Pastor Nick was situated.

"He... got away..." Your voice was low but it was enough to show that there was pain and regret. 

"What matters is your in one piece. Along with those other asses."

Not being able to hold in a smile, you stared at him took the initiative to hold his hand. Caring less as to what the others would think. If he were to scold you, you would take it with stride. All you wanted was his touch to comfort you and your raging mind.

"Thank you, Levi."

"Anytime."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> a/n:
> 
> And Levi saves the day <3
> 
> This chapter was a little messy but I tried huhu also please stay safe everyone :) Levi pushes you to always wash your hands and take vitamin C to prevent the ever so timely corona virus~ 
> 
> Till then, see you next week! :*


	46. Rebirth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Very very very slight angst (if thats what you can call it~)

It had been so long since you last entered your dorm. The familiar sight of your room was indeed nostalgic. Taking a step forward, you slowly took in the view you had long forgotten about. Looking at your bed, it was still neatly done. Heck, you weren't even sure if you were the one who kept it last. Placing your palms flat on the sheets, they felt clean and barely had any dust to them.

"Welcome back."

Turning around, Mikasa was standing by the door frame. A ghost of a smile plastered on her face. Nothing seemed to change. Her red muffler still sat around her neck comfortably, her hair still the same length, and the scar from the last time was still visible.

Letting out an exhale, you chuckled and motioned for her to sit beside you as you sat on her bed. As she sat down, you couldn't help but feel distant. Though a bond was never forged between the two of you, there was still that little spark of friendship you took care of before things turned for the worst.

"How are you?" Her voice monotone but with a hint of worry.

How were you feeling?

Through out the whole ride, you had kept quiet. Occasionally, you would answer questions that Commander Erwin or Levi would throw at you. Jean would initiate small talk to cheer you up. Armin knew better than to push for conversation. Hange kept her eyes focused on Pastor Nick. All of them had ask the 3 of you as to how you were, yet none of you answered.

You racked your mind for any answer you could muster up. A desert, that's what your throat felt like. A thousand thoughts were running through your mind yet you couldn't find the voice to say it.

"I know I'm the last person you'd think would care about your well being," Mikasa stated as she played with the ends of her scarf. "But, I consider you as a friend. You had me worried when they said you had to stay at Stohess. When they came back and you weren't present, I couldn't stop thinking about your safety. All of us."

Clenching your fists, you bowed your head and let the tears flow.

"He got away..."

That was all you could utter. It was barely audible. Feeling your body start to tremble, you gritted your teeth till your jaw began to hurt. Feeling a hand hold yours, you looked up and stared at your fellow cadet. Mikasa's eyes showed no signs of pity or sympathy. Instead, they showed you encouragement.

"So?" She kept her eyes locked on you. "So what if he got away? Aren't you glad that you made it one piece? Aren't you supposed to be glad that Captain Levi was there to help you three? Shouldn't you be thankful that your given one more chance to redeem yourself?"

Breaking eye contact, you furrowed your brows and stared intently at the floor.

"It's not like that."

"It is and you know it." She let go of your hand as she stood up. "You know, maybe it's time you let go of whatever weight it is you carry. The past won't do you any good, (Y/N)."

Taking one last look at your state, Mikasa shook her head with disappointment as she closed the doors to your shared room. The moment you heard the lock click, you grabbed her pillow and threw it across the room. Discontented at the softness the pillow had to offer, you rested your elbows on your thighs. Your hands covering your face as they slowly made their way up. Ruffling your hair from frustration, you let out a rather loud scream.

Not even bothering whether the rooms next to yours could hear, you screamed to your hearts content till they shifted to sobs.

Each inhale you took sent pain to your already aching chest. Your face was numb from crying and wailing to your hearts content. Pulling on your hair seemed to make things worse. Gripping your chest did not help either. Hitting the cold wooden floors as you slid from the bed was not making things any better.

For who knows how many minutes, Jean and Armin stayed outside of your room. A glum aura clouded the two of them as they heard your shrieks.

"Can't we just go inside?" Jean asked with his fists closed tightly.

"Even if we manage to break the door, she won't listen." Armin replied. Just as he finished his sentence, another scream could be heard and banging of the floor as well.

Taking a moment to think, Jean couldn't help but punch the wall. Hearing his best friend wailing was something he did not want to witness. Yet, he knew that his blonde friend was right. There was no way in hell you would listen to a word any of them would say at the state you were in.

This went on for a while till finally, you were too tired to move. Laying flat on the floor, your eyes stung with each blink you made. Your head was a foggy mess.

"I know you're outside." You said. "Just lock the doors when you enter."

With that, the two men slowly opened the doors. Their eyes scanned the room. When their sight landed on your body, they locked the doors and copied your action. Jean was laying down on your right. Armin took the left side. None of them started the conversation. If they wanted to get you talking, you had to open your mouth to signify that you were ready to talk.

"He got away."

"He did." Jean replied.

"And there's nothing wrong with that." Armin reassured you.

"That's what Mikasa said." You couldn't help but chuckle at their shared thoughts. "It's not that easy."

Silence drowned the three of you once more. Closing your eyes, you let your body relax at the sensation the cold hard floor was giving you. Playing with the thought, maybe there was nothing wrong with him getting away. After all, all of you had given your damn best in trying to end him. Maybe him getting away was nature's way of letting you refresh your minds and bodies.

No.

You had been given enough time. Whatever thread there was to finally end the Capocrimine had snapped. They were always one step ahead and no matter how hard the former top 3 would work together, the end result was never on your favor. Labeling yourself as a disgrace was probably all you could do for now. Perhaps, you could just go back to the lesser part of the military and proceed in killing titans once more.

Ah. Call. You shuddered at the thought of his name. It had been forever since you last thought of him. It had been way too long since you last visited his grave and gave him orange juice. You had been so preoccupied at your mission that you failed at being a big sister. So you thought, at least.

"If Call were still here, he'd probably kick your ass." Jean stated as he sat up.

Your eyes shot open. For some unknown reason, your blood started to boil. Keeping your gaze locked at his back, you clenched your fist once more. This time, pain was present. You could feel some sticky liquid substance build up in between your fingers.

"You have no right to say that." Your voice was slightly raised.

"No. I have every right to." Jean still kept his back facing you. His voice started to rise as well. "You think he'd like it if he saw you moping around like some weak ass soldier? You're a soldier with fucking enhancements in your blood, (Y/N). When you told me that you were Killshot, I was hella amazed."

"He's right." Armin added as he sat up as well. "I had a feeling that there was something you were hiding. I honestly did not expect that you would be Killshot. Everyone who ever heard of you feared you, (Y/N). If you can manage to do that to people when you were still with them, how much more now that you're atoning for everything you've done."

"That's not how it works!" This time you yelled. A crack in your voice found its way. "I joined the Survey Corps in hopes that I could kill a titan for each person I killed. I joined in hopes that they wouldn't find me. I joined because I thought that I wouldn't make it past 3 titans before being eaten!"

"And you did not get eaten!" Jean jerked his head towards you. Glancing over his shoulder, his eyes clearly showed pain and anger. "Yeah you were hurt as fuck but don't you remember? The commander himself praised you for putting your life on the line and doing your best to survive. Where the hell did that (Y/N) run off to?"

"And the fact that Humanities Strongest took an interest on you only shows just how strong you are. But if you stay chained up to your past, then you would have an even harder time moving forward." Armin stated as he glanced at you. "Do you honestly think that killing the same number of titans can atone for everything you've done?"

Not noticing, hot tears were now running down your face. Your forearm covering your eyes in hopes that you could cover the shame you were feeling.

"Screw the kill count, (Y/N). If you wanna atone your sorry ass, then you move your perky ass and think of a new plan. If that plan fails, think of another one. You wanna make Call happy? Start by fixing yourself and show to him that you can stand up no matter what happens." Jean proposed.

"I... I'm too weak. I can't get shit done..." You uttered in between your choking sobs.

"Then what are we to you?" Armin spoke softly. His hand reached out and held onto yours.

"You can always lean on us." Jean affirmed as he rested his hand on your knee.

That was all they could do. Seeing that you were a crying mess once more, the two of them looked at each other and silently agreed to leave you and your thoughts once more.

In the end, it always ended with you being alone with your thoughts. Letting out the new found frustrations you ended up crying for a few more minutes.

However, you weren't frustrated at the words your trusted friends had thrown at you. You were pissed and irritated at how you handled the situation. In all sense, Jean and Armin were right. You let being such an overthinker run your life for the past few days. You had failed to realize that fear slowly ate you up till you reached the point of drowning yourself with pity.

In your head, you pictured a much healthier Call. His voice was telling you to stop acting like a drama queen. A small smile formed at your lips at the thought of seeing your little brother healthy.

All you ever saw him was a frail and dying boy. You had forgotten just how headstrong he was before becoming ill. You had forgotten how he would encourage you to do your best, even if the world was against the both of you.

Sitting yourself up, you let out a long exhale till you felt your lungs emptied out. Forcing yourself to stand up, you shakily made your way towards the lone mirror hanging on the wall.

"You look like shit." You told yourself as you saw just how red your entire face was. "You are shit."

Shaking your head with amusement, you raced your fingers through your hair. Using your dry sleeve, you wiped the tear stains off your face.

"But you're also the bestest shit out there."

Leaning your forehead on the mirror, the smile on your face returned once more. Whatever weight you had been carrying around, now disappeared. Each degrading thought and label you had come up with was nowhere to be found in your mind now. Lifting your head, you stared at yourself once more.

Yes. You were a mess. There was no doubt about that. But, you saw someone who looked sure of who she was and what she had to do. Seeing that your lips were curled upward only added to the calm you were feeling.

Your thoughts were cut when a knock echoed the room.

"Come in."

The doors slowly opened and you were met with a towering blonde commander. His blue eyes met yours via the mirror's reflection. They showed nothing but softness and understanding.

"I take it I'm a little late to the pep talk train?" Erwin teased as he saw your features were more relaxed.

"Well... I could probably use one more." You smiled at him and turned to formally salute. "Hit me with your best shot!"

Stifling a small laughter, the commander walked towards you and gently placed his hand on your small shoulder. 

"In my eyes, you have never failed me. In Levi's eyes, you are stronger than him. In Hange's eyes, you're like the sister she's never had. In my eyes as a commander, you are one of the best soldiers a commander could have." He removed his hand and gave you a firm salute. Your eyes widened at his gesture. "You have dedicated your heart more than one could ask for. And I thank you, (Y/N)."

Your mouth was wide open at the words given to you. Trying to give him a thank you, you just couldn't help but stare at the commander. If anything, it felt as if flowers were floating around you at how he had praised you so well.

"Was that okay for a best shot?" He joked.

"THAT WAS MORE THAN ENOUGH!" You finally found your voice. Though you couldn't help it, you sounded like a child who had been given some expensive sweets.

"As I said before," A familiar voice entered the room. "Don't get used to his praises, brat."

Commander Erwin adjusted himself so you could see Levi. He was leaning on the door woth his arms crossed on his chest. The same emotionless face you grew to love was present as always. His eyes landed on his tall friend who took the memo.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I have to finalize a few plans." Erwin said as he left the room.

Now that the two of you were alone, Levi closed the door and walked closer to you. His eyes had gotten much softer now that you were blessed with privacy. Gently, his hand caressed your cheek.

"You're such a brat." He started as his thumb softly rubbed your cheek. "But you're my brat."

Pulling you into a hug, you immediately metled and wrapped your arms around his waist. The smell of tea intoxicated you as always. You admitted to yourself that even the scent of laundry detergent on his uniform was something you missed dearly.

"Oi. Stop sniffing my neck."

"You can't stop me." You giggled as you nuzzled even more at the crook of his neck and shoulder.

"Tch."

"I miss that sound."

"I missed you."

He released you from the hug and stared once more at your eyes. Taking both his hands, he cupped your cheeks and went in for a small kiss on the lips.

"I'll be frank. I'm mad at how you degraded yourself. But as a captain, I understand that you would feel those things. As your partner, I'm disappointed that you chose to bottle up your feelings instead of sharing the burden me." He said with a stern voice.

"I'm sorry..." You pouted.

"However... I'm just glad that you finally realized that you're not alone."

Your heart stopped beating at the sight before you. Levi had given you one of his rare smiles.

"I love you, (Y/N). And I will do whatever I can to make sure that you won't feel alone in this god foresaken world we live in."

Leaning your head on his shoulder, you couldn't help but smile at how things had turned out for the better.

"Huh? I go all batshit cheezy on you and I don't get a response?" Levi complained mischievously. You could tell he was smirking.

"I love you too, Levi Ackerman."

"That's more like it. C'mon, Hange is waiting for you in her lab and I still have a shit ton of paper work to finish."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> a/n:
> 
> just a bit of angst, like a tiny bit, to help set the mood back on track :) But ofcourse I'm not really one for even slight angst so I had to make sure all things end well here xD
> 
> but yeah, this was quite long~ hope ya'll liked the pep talk and just remember that you're not alone <3
> 
> take care and pls stay safe!


	47. Payback (the Hange way)

You had lost count as to how many minutes you had been standing outside of Hange's office. You lost count as to how many times you had lifted and dropped your hand in an attempt to knock the doors of her lab. The last time the two of you had any sort of encounter was during the battle.

An insane amount of guilt still feasted your emotions. There was no doubt that you chickened out and failed to apologize to your squad leader. The only exchange that happened were your tears dampening your mask and Hange moving back into the crowd with no limp to her step.

How would you apologize? What words were the right one's? Did she really forgive you? Hange was the first person you opened up to. The first person to let you feel that in this cruel world, you simply fell into the wrong hands. That in this cruel world, you created the opportunity to fix yourself.

A shaky sigh escaped your mouth as you leaned your head on to the wooden doors.

Levi had told you that Hange was okay and that she was smart enough to see through your past actions. And he was right. Everyone who knows who Hange is, knows that she has excellent people skills. To the point that she can read people down to the bone.

'C'mon, (Y/N). If you can Killshot, you can knock and apologize.' You cheered yourself on.

Finally. You knocked.

Slowly opening the doors, you were met with the all too familiar scenery of papers scattered all over the floor. A bunch of containers resting on the ground beside evident spillage that had dried. The room was lit just the perfect amount of light to read but cast shadows to dance across the room.

There she was, Hange. Her back turned to you as her shoulders moved ever so slightly. Knowing her, she must be busy writing her thoughts out for new experiments to do on Eren. Her back got closer and closer as you stepped forward. Heart hammering on your chest as to what might happen next. 

'Say something. Say anything.' Your mind screamed.

By now, Hange and you were only a foot away.

"No need to be nervous, (Y/N)." Hange told you. Her back still faced you but the movement of her shoulders had ceased. Slowly, she turned to confront you. Judging by her features, there was not an ounce of anger in her face. Instead, you were greeted by the overflowing sense of warmth that only she could give you. "Come here, (Y/N)."

Not sure what to do, you hesitantly went even closer to her and sat beside the fourth squad captain.

"I know you've been dying to apologize. There's really no need to, but if you so desperately want to... I'm all ears." Hange took hold of your hand and gently patted the back. If you were to be honest, this woman before you would be the only one who could melt you just by that simple action. Not even Levi can break you that easily. With Hange, there was never a need to have a battle of pride.

"Okay, here goes nothing." You inhaled a good amount of air to relax yourself. "I don't know what exactly went through your mind at that exact moment. But, I did see in your eyes that there was confusion and hurt written all over them. If I told you that it bugged me for days on end, that would barely scrape the surface as to how guilty I truly feel."

Hange simply hummed and began to rub circles around your back.

"If I were to tell you the honest truth, I shot you because if I shot Levi, it would look too scripted and I wouldn't be able to gain the Capo's trust..."

"(Y/N)... I think it's safe to say that I understood why you did it. It is true that I was indeed shocked at the sudden feeling of having a bullet enter my system." She rubbed the back of her neck, yet Hange still showed a smile. Her voice decorated with nothing but sympathy and care. "I did weigh out all the possible scenarios once the bullet was extracted. When the medical officer told me that the location of the bullet was no way near fatal, it was simple to put two and two together. In fact, I was scared for all of your well-beings. What if the Capo saw where you aimed? I guess all things came to a full circle when you showed back here again inside the lab."

"I'm not good at apologizing..."

"Something you probably took from Levi. Seriously, (Y/N). If you want to apologize, why don't you be my experiment for the day?"

"Huh?"

The question caught you off guard. This was never in your list of possible scenarios that would happen right after you would have a talk with Hange. The fact that her experiments were just so random, you ended up unconsciously taking precaution as to what the experiment might be.

"For one experiment? Or the whole day?"

"Well, you did shoot me... So I guess the whole day option would be lovely."

"Hmm... Will you forgive me if I agree?"

Wasting not a moment too soon, Hange grabbed your wrist and pulled you out of the laboratory. In all honesty, you had began regretting the decision of apologizing even if you knew that you had already been forgiven. But alas, guilt ate you up so good, you were now face to face with titan Eren. Quivering silently as to what Hange had in store for the day to come.

Swallowing a huge amount of Saliva, you found yourself being held tightly into titan Eren's fist. A mere meter away from his gigantic mouth.

"Alright! Eren! Remember! Do not swallow her or you'll be killed! Just let (Y/N) sit tightly in your mouth and run for a kilometer and back here. Make sure she's safe!" Hange yelled from the ground.

Eren's eyes stared at your tiny figure encased in his hands. Seeing how your eyes twitched with uncertainty made him doubt his actions. Staring at Hange, he knew for a fact that there was no escaping this rather horrid experiment. Slowly, Eren brought you closer and closer to his mouth. Letting out some steam, your hairs stood on end at the thought of being swallowed. Although you trusted him, this would probably be just as traumatic as ever.

Bracing yourself, you closed your eyes till you felt the sliminess of his titan's mouth. It would be a lie if you said your heart didn't stop at the sight of his jaws and teeth lowering you into his prison. Looking for something to hold on to, you were left with no choice but to stick your gears hooks onto his tongue. Surprisingly, he did not wince in pain or even shriek at the sensation.

The next thing you heard were the thumps of footsteps that seemed to escalate.

Holding onto dear life, you desperately clung to your wires as you screamed at the thought of accidentally falling into Eren's stomach.

"I should've shot Jean! Holy shit!"

\- -

The sun had set and you were still trembling at the experiment Hange threw at you. The smugness of her face was more than enough to know that you had been thoroughly forgiven and that the adequate amount of payback had been served. When you thought that all was well, Hange strode in with a box which rattled with each step she took. Tempted to take a step back, you stood ground and met her half way.

"So the day is not over yet, my dear sweet prisoner! This here is the last of the experiments."

Placing the box on the ground, your cheeks flushed at the sight of very... age inappropriate items. You absolutely did not like where this was going. Once again, you wished you had shot someone else.

"The last experiment is more like... a dare. If you can manage to let short stack use these, then you are good to go and fully forgiven!" Hange spoke up with much enthusiasm as she took a pair of handcuffs and a rope. Throwing it to you, you caught the cuffs with the chains rattling. "Bonus points if you can bestow him with a hickey! Good luck, (Y/N)!"

Watching her leave made you question everything. This was a little too easy for the last experiment. There must be a catch. You slapped yourself at the thought of being able to tease Levi. This was for Hange. That mantra looped in your mind as you held on to the rope and cuffs as you walked towards your captain's office.

Now that you were outside his office doors, you knocked and he replied the usual. Smiling at the fond memories, you stated your name. Upon hearing him say that you could come in, you cursed and entered the room. The rope hanging by your shoulder and the cuffs safely tucked in your back pocket.

"You busy, Captain?"

His eyes shot at you. There was curiosity in his eyes but he decided to play along.

"The paper work has been shitty ever since. I have to finish this in 2 days." His voice was dead ass tired. The way his hand kept squiggling down notes and his signature was a sight you had gotten used to over time. The writing stopped as he noticed how your uniform clung to your skin. Not to mention how a rope was dangling on your shoulder. "The hell is that rope for? And why are your clothes... like that?"

'Oh walls. I forgot to take a shower. Damn it all.' You mentally cursed yourself for heading here immediately.

"Oi. Brat." His arms were now folded on his chest as his eyes were glued to yours. It had been quite some time since you experienced his captain's look. Squinting his eyes, Levi stood up and walked towards you in an agonizingly slow pace.

"You see... Uhm..." You were at a loss for words when he was now only 5 steps away from you.

"Cadet you smell like a titan's mouth..."

"Yeah about that..."

"Shut it. Take a shower and talk to me when your clean." He motioned you to his small private quarters attached to his office. Flipping his index finger, you lowered your head with embarrassment and marched towards the washroom. Throwing your clothes into the bin, you dejectedly took a shower.

By the time you were clean and fresh, you saw that Levi had prepared a shirt and boxers for you to use at your own disposal. Now that you were finished changing, your eyes widened at the sudden realization that you practically threw your clothes along with the cuffs.

Peaking at the door, you saw how Levi was still glued as ever to the work before him. Tiptoeing to the laundry basket, you grabbed your pants and felt nothing in the back pocket. Your heart skipped a beat when you turned around and saw that Levi was not by his seat anymore. Instead, he was leaning on the door frame, cuffs twirling around his middle finger. A slight smirk on his features caused your cheeks to flush once more.

"Cuffs and a rope?"

"Uh I can explain..."

Levi was now in front of you. Lifting his hand, he began to delicately trace your jawline causing your breath to hitch. Just as you let out the breath of air, you heard the cuff lock.

The next thing you knew, Levi leaned in to your ear.

"By the way... It was me. Not Hange."

Before you could react, Levi had swooped you off your feet. Your ass high in the air as he walked the short distance to his bed. Tossing you down, he climbed on top of you and took a hold of your free hand. Not bothering to resist, you let him cuff you as he expertly nibbled on your neck. 

"D-don't you have work t-to do?" You moaned out. Biting your lower lip at the sensation you had been craving for.

"Oh, I do. And that's you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> a/n:
> 
> this was uploaded very late huhuhu apologies :( quarantine has caused my procrastination to rise and frankly its not helping huhuhu
> 
> this also took awhile to write since along the way, this somehow became a crack one shot that I had to rewrite since it was just too random to fit the story xD hope ya'll liked the little Eren ride scenario~ so do ya'll want the next chapter to be a lemon? XD
> 
> I'll see ya'll in a few days :D


	48. Cuff Play*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before this chapter starts... here... have a bucket of holy water~
> 
> This is pure lemon so if ya'll don't like lemons (w/c i highly doubt because we all thirsty for this 5"2 titan killing machine ;) feel free to skip this chapter. It doesn't really affect the story~ Just satisfies our wants and needs~
> 
> *sprays holy water to self*
> 
> enjoy the meal! this one is hella long.

Your body flinched at the sensation of Levi trailing his lips down your neck. His hot breath brushed your suddenly sensitive skin. His pacing was ridiculously slow for your own good. Because you were now cuffed, the sly man decided to hold your cuffed hands above your head as he managed to explore your body. Any movement you made, he would only hold on to you much more tighter.

At first, his hold was on your wrist. Later on, his fingers slowly interlaced yours as he made his way even lower. With each suck he made on your skin, he would also squeeze your hand. For each struggle you made with the cuffs and his hold, you were rewarded with a very low and husky chuckle from the captain.

Letting go of your hand, he sat himself up and gazed at the work of art below him.

You were a panting mess. The room was dimly lit but he could make out just how dilated your pupils were. How your eyes were filled with want and lust made his member twitch in his pants. Being able to feel your skin on his palms made him want to lose control but he had waited for this moment for too long. There was no way in hell he would waste such an opportunity to take his sweet time teasing you.

Steadily, his hands move up your hips to your waist. Your skin still as soft as he recalled. Inserting one finger onto the hem of his boxers caused the reaction he wanted. The sudden jolt of you under him, just enough to give pressure on his now throbbing cock. He missed teasing you like this.

No lie that your first time together, after that shower, was indeed amazing. Something he would never forget. But the aftermath of having soaked sheets and the mattress was something he had forgotten about.

"The last time we did this, you were dripping wet." Levi remarked. His finger still fumbling through the elastic band of his undergarment.

"I'm not the one who started flirting in the shower..." You whimpered. Focusing slowly on the ticklish sensation your stomach gave you. Still, you couldn't help but smile as you recalled the first time you two made love with each other. The way it was all so unexpected was more than you bargained for.

Shaking his head with amusement, his finger began to trace a line going up. The higher he went, the deeper you bit onto your inner cheek. You were shaking and all you wanted to do was to touch him the same way he touched you. In the heat of the moment, your brain decided to keep your arms stiff despite knowing that his hold wasn't on them. Just as you bent your elbows, his steel gray eyes shot you a dirty and very commanding look.

"Who said you could move your arms, cadet?"

Bending down, Levi brushed his nose with yours. Once again, he firmly held your wrists. His lips a mere inch away from yours. Another smirk from the teasing bastard. All you could do was to rub your thighs together. The heat down there was getting too much to handle. Sensing your needs, Levi licked your lips. Sucking on your upper lip before devouring you.

As your lips danced together, you let out a moan as he thrust his hip. The fabric of his boxers were thin enough to make you feel that he was fully erect. He thrust once more but this time a little harder. You arched your back and moaned through the kiss once more.

"Very needy..." Levi uttered between kissing you. Sitting himself back up again, he began to unbutton his uniform. Little by little, you could see his skin being exposed. The moon's light that crept through the window caused his pale skin to illuminate rather enchantingly. Once again, he felt you rub your thighs together. Finally discarding the useless piece of cloth, he crawled away from the bed.

"Where a-are you going?" There was a whole lot of disappointment in your voice. His back was now facing you as he exited the bedroom. The next sounds you heard were his table drawers sliding open and close. A minute or two, you couldn't tell, he came back with a set of keys. He tossed them to your tummy as he took off his pants. Leaving him with his boxers. A rather large tent to accompany it as well.

"One of these keys," He said as he lifted you up. It happened too quickly. The next thing you knew, you were sitting on his lap. Your legs locked around his thighs as he held on to your ass with one hand, and the other jiggling the keys. "Is the key to your freedom. Help yourself."

"But...?"

"If I recall, you learn faster when shown not told." He smugly replied. His hands inching your shirt higher and higher till your whole stomach was exposed. But with the tease that he was, he let go of the shirt only to repeat the process once more.

You went along with his game. You chose one key but it barely fit the hole.

With a jerking movement, you were now facing the ceiling. Levi held on to a handful of your hair. A sucking sensation met your neck. When he let go of your hair, he held your chin to make you face him.

"Choose wisely now, (Y/N)."

Nodding at his little game. You were now cautious as to which key you chose. As you were choosing another key, Levi's hands traced circles around your butt cheeks. To make your mind even more clouded with lust, he thrust once causing you to moan and curl your toes. The keys jingled at the sudden bounce the two of you made.

The next key you chose did not fit the hole as well.

"Tsk tsk tsk. Poorly made choice, (Y/N)." Levi whispered as he nibbled on your ear. Inch by inch, his nose trailed down your neck till you let out a shaky breath. There the second hickey was born. "I do hope your taking this seriously, (Y/N)."

Holding onto his eye contact, you simply smirked as you chose a random key. Was that the one? Nope.

"Looks like I failed again, Captain~" You cooed. The heat on your cheeks felt as if your head were about to explode. Labored breathing was all that came out of you after you spoke those words to his ear. His hair brushed your cheek. Tilting your chin upwards, you gave him more options as to where the third hickey of the minute would be planted. You could Feel Levi's tongue create a thin veil of saliva before sealing it with the hickey.

"You little tease." Levi grinned as he blew a small puff of air onto your red ears. Thrusting once again, he saw just how much you were turned on with that small movement. "Better hurry up, (Y/N). It would be hella shitty if you can't touch me."

Biting your lower lip as you fumbled with the keys, you were getting impatient. Your hands wanted nothing but to explore every inch of him he had to offer. It also lingered how you wanted to give him the same amount of hickey's as a pleasurable payback.

After 5 more keys and complimentary hickeys, the chosen one was finally inside the keyhole. Both of your eyes widened when the cuffs loosened on your wrist. At the same time, you looked into each other's eyes. Not expecting that small moment, you let out a giggle as Levi chuckled. Levi took the opportunity to remove the cuffs from you and tossed it into the discard pile on the floor.

Finally. Your hands traveled from his still toned abdomen, up to his chest, running down both his shoulders to his wrist. Along the way, you felt his hair stand as he eyed you doing your thing.

"Like what your feeling?" Levi said as he tucked in a strand of hair behind your ear. Taking his time, he cupped your cheek. Nuzzling onto his palm, your lips curled upwards at the sight of him with eyes filled with nothing but love and adoration for you.

"I do."

"Then let's get this shirt off of you. It's horrendous." Lifting your arms up, Levi pulled the shirt away from you and held you close to him. Both your chest touched and you couldn't help but wrap your arms around his neck. Showering him with small kisses. When your lips touched his, he held on to your nape to deepen the contact.

Confidence oozed from you as you pushed yourself forward. Levi willingly followed your lead. His back bounced a tiny bit once he hit the mattress. Trusting that you wouldn't break the kiss, his hands began exploring you once more. The way that your ass was in in the air, he squeezed it once before smacking it with his palms. Your bent legs locked him in a rather tight prison as you savored in the bliss of the stinging sensation.

Finding your way down to his neck, you licked an area that caused him to flex his stomach. Seeing that reaction as an invitation, you sucked on it till you were sure a huge hickey would form. And one surely did. Continuing the process for a few more times, you sat up and saw the same amount of hickey's he had bestowed upon you. The heavy pants that came off of him made you smirk. He was under you now. Literally and metaphorically speaking.

Bending back down to his body, you sequenced kissed from his chest going down to the tent on his boxers. When you reached his gorgeously toned abs, you traced your fingers on each cut before landing onto the hem of his boxers. Sort of mirroring what he had to you earlier. His breath hitched the moment you traced his V-line.

"Oh~ Someone's needy~" You mocked him as you slid his boxers off. The way his cock flopped onto his tummy caused your stomach to do cartwheels. With such luck, Levi was still sitting on the edge of his bed. So you did the one thing that came to your mind, you got on your knees and took a hold of his manhood. "I stand corrected. Someone's very needy."

Gliding your hand up and down his erection caused him to grunt. The pain he had been feeling from holding his need to himself was finally lifted by you. The moment he felt your tongue licking away the pre-cum that had formed on his slit, he gripped onto his sheets. Using his elbows as support, he had chosen the most glorious time to look at you.

There you were. On your knees. One hand on his member, the other hand holding onto his thigh, your tongue licking circles on his head, and your eyes focused on him and him alone. Seeing the way your tongue expertly circled and licked away the pre-cum was mentally exhausting. Not once did he jerk off when you were gone. He knew that the wait would be worth it. What he failed to realize that the will to NOT cum as you were giving him head was getting harder and harder with each suck you did.

Your free hand started to move closer and lower. He could feel your fingers begin to massage his balls as you lowered your mouth to take him in deeper.

"Holy shit, (Y/N)~" Levi caved in and moaned.

Hearing him like that only caused you to take him even deeper. His hands found their way to your hair as he held them back. With that small obstacle away from your face, you removed his cock from your mouth and gave it a good long lick. Starting from the base all the way to the tip. Repeating it twice before you took him in once more.

Gripping your hair tighter, Levi couldn't help but thrust his pulsating member. It certainly did not help that you still kept looking at him as you hollowed your cheek to give more power to your sucking. He could feel his stomach churning with euphoria. His cock definitely twitched after a couple more of your sucking and licking.

Knowing that he was close, you gave him one final suck. One that emitted a popping sound to echo the room. His eye twitched when he lost the feeling of cumming in your mouth. But, he was still rock hard at the sight of your face. Your eyes a tiny bit teary from his thrusting and your saliva leaving a web on his cock. Your hands had now rested on his thigh. He had just lost his high but that only drove him more determined to make love to you.

Lifting you up, you were tossed to bed once more. Wiping your saliva away, you let Levi remove the boxers. Your heart was ramming on your chest when you saw how he lined himself up to enter you. Spitting on his cock to make things even more wet, you moaned rather loudly as he entered you in one go.

"Holy fuck~ Levi~" Feeling him inside you, all in one go, caused your legs to shake. Of course, Levi waited for you to adjust to his length. While doing so, he began to kiss you. Hungrily. His tongue licked your lip once more to ask for entrance that you gave him. Letting him glide his tongue around each crevice of your mouth was causing your mind to go haywire. He pulled himself halfway out before thrusting again, this time a little softer. You were already wet from all the previous actions done. Just a few more seconds and surely you'll give him the go signal. And you did.

His hips were moving back and forth. His hands gripped on to your thighs as if they were his life support. The small grunts and pants he made made you dig into the skin of his back. Pulling himself up, Levi took a hold of your leg and placed it on his shoulder. The way you arched your back encouraged him that he had done something good.

"You like that, baby girl?" He gritted through his teeth. The pleasure was taking a toll so his mental strength was being tested to its full capacity. 

The new angle he had given was indeed something you liked. It gave him more access to your pleasure spot. To make things even better for you, Levi made you suck on his thumb. Giving it a good lick and suck, he separated it from your mouth. Your head dug deeper on his pillow when you felt his calloused hand rub circles on your now swollen clit.

Each rub his thumb gave sent you closer to the edge. The feeling of your stomach forming an electrical current was getting too much to handle. The sheets were now wrinkled up from the thrusting Levi had done. Not able to help yourself, you began to grind your hips to the thrusting of Levi. He knew too well that you were close. With that, he stopped thrusting and pulled his cock out.

"What the fuck, Levi?!" You complained. Your high died down leaving you a wanting mess. A smirking Levi was what you were now facing. His finger traced your wet slit and lingered a bit on your clit. His eyes shot back at you. Removing your leg from your shoulder. 

Leaning back down to you, he gave you a quick kiss before whispering into your ear.

"Lay on your stomach, baby doll."

Complying with his demand, you found yourself lying on your tummy. You felt his hands massaging your butt. The massaging stopped and you felt the same stinging (yet delicious) sensation on your ass cheek. The slap resonated the room. Lifting you by the hip, your ass was now in the air and you felt him lining up to enter you once more.

Having Levi pound you from behind was a new sensation. For the both of you honestly. His cock gave you a whole new sensation and you could feel just how deep he went. Levi, on the other hand, admired how your butt jiggled with each thrust he made. Holding on to your waist, he thrust even harder than before causing your head to jerk up. Rubbing your ass cheek once more, he let another resounding slap meet you. Still, your moans filled the room.

"Levi~ I-I'm close~" You were amazed that you were still able to form a sentence. You felt high once more. With your body being high up in the air, you were more than ready to come crashing down.

"Cum for me, (Y/N)."

With those words, you gripped on to the pillow and felt the electrifying current take over your body. Your mind went blank as your pussy throbbed on his cock repeatedly. It felt as if a hot and cold wash came over your body rapidly as Levi rode out your orgasm. Your hands gave way and you fell onto the pillow. Your breathing still labored but the sensation still kept going as Levi's thrusts became sloppier.

Knowing that you came all over his cock, Levi felt as if he had been flying at 50kmh to a soaring 100mh within 2 seconds. He could feel himself shivering at the feeling of being close. Not being to hold it in, he thrust as hard as he could. Feeling all the endorphins rushing out of his body as his head arched back. Whatever stress he had been feeling these past few weeks certainly went down the drain.

Pulling his cock out of you, he saw how his cum dripped out of your womanhood and onto his bed. Turning you over, you were still catching your breath. Leaning down to kiss your forehead, he crawled limply out of the bed to get a wash cloth to clean you up.

Once you and him were clean, he went and grabbed all the stuff on the floor. The clothes found their way to the launder while the unused rope and cuffs hung on a coat hanger beside his scout's jacket.

"Levi~ Come here now, please~" You pouted while patting the space on the bed. Ready for him. You were now covered up with his blankets. Before climbing on top of the bed, he fumbled on his bedside drawer. When he found what he was looking for, he crawled into your open arms and nuzzled on to your neck.

"(Y/N)..."

"Hmm?" Playing with strands of his hair was very much relaxing. No wonder he liked doing that to you. "What is it love?"

"Never got to say it." He lifted his head and adjusted his position so you could be face to face with him. Letting you use his arm as a pillow, you waited for him to speak. "I love you."

Humming at the way those words rolled out of his mouth, you scooted closer to him and wrapped your arms around his waist.

"I love you too, Levi~"

"(Y/N)..."

"Yes?"

"Be mine."

"I am yours~"

"No. I meant be mine."

When you pulled away from the crook of his neck, you were met with a silver band that glowed with the moonlight. Your heart stopped beating when you processed what his words meant. With quivering lips, you held back the urge to ugly cry at the sight before you.

"I'm not asking you to marry me. But, I wanted to give this to you as a promise that I will stay yours as you will stay mine." He said as he slid the ring onto your ring finger. "And when the time comes, when all these stupid ass titans are gone, I'll get you a proper ring. One that will outshine all the others."

Okay, now you began to release the tears as you couldn't fathom anything to say. Instead, Levi pulled you in closer and patted the back of your head as you hugged him even tighter.

This was definitely a night you would never forget.

\- - - - -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> a/n:
> 
> it has been a hot minute since i last wrote a lemon. and by god this was the longest one i wrote~ in case ya'll wanna know this tallied to a total of 3.4k words XD
> 
> trivia: so to prepare my mind, i read nothing but lemons for a good 3-4 hours but i somehow deviated to Hawks from Hero Academia (good lord this birb man is HOT like gah take me now...) and because I was so into writing the scene, lmao i ended up giving Levi wings xD gave me a good laugh for a minute as i erased that particular line XD
> 
> welp, that's it for the surprise upload :D see ya'll next week <3 
> 
> p.s. that little sketch of Levi over there~ I drew that for a very special reader hihihi thank you very much for the endless support of this story, thats for you Dianasaurus94 :')


	49. News

Stretching your rather sore joints, you felt an arm pulling you closer. There was no doubt that it was none other than the captain himself. Still sleeping, which was a miracle itself. His neck had been littered with hickeys and you were most glad that he wore his cravat around. Still, you knew that all too well. One or two hickeys were placed in strategic spots that not even the cloth could cover.

The morning sun had now crept its way inside his room. Staring at the skies, it was a clear blue with a few dusts of white here and there. If your guess was right, it would be around 7 or 8 am. 

Thinking up of what to do today, you decided that once you were done freshening up and eating breakfast, Hange's lab would be the way to go. A new invention popped up in your mind that you were just dying to make. A visit to Cas and Aiden was a must as well. Perhaps they might have caught scent as to where the Capo was now.

Thoughts were cut short when you felt a pair of lips peck your forehead. Levi stretched his while barely moving. Just to ease his muscles from all the action.

"How's your ass?" His voice was as deep as it could get. Knowing him long enough that he was still groggy as fuck.

"Plump as ever~" The reply was taken with much gusto as Levi's hand found it's way to your ass and squeezed on it a little. Earning a small yelp from you. Nuzzling into his neck once more, you cherished these few moments knowing all too well that anything might happen to disrupt the peace.

And the peace ended.

A knock on the door was heard all the way to his room.

Lazily picking himself up, Levi took some fresh articles of clothing and made his way out of the room. Making sure to close the door on his way out. You winced at the thought of his neck. He would definitely scold you once he would come back. Though, Levi would probably brush it off since it's his personal life and none of the others business.

Sitting yourself up, you went to the shower and freshened up. It was not surprising that your body didn't feel too sticky. Levi must've woken up in the night and did all the necessary aftercare. Thank the walls he was a clean freak.

By the time you were done, you took his shirt and sweatpants. Just something temporary since your clothes were in his room not this extension. Drying your hair, the doors opened once more. His features unreadable to others but to you, it was like reading a toddler's notebook. With a fair amount of practice, it was too clear that something had bothered him.

"What's wrong, Levi?"

"That was Armin. Still no new developments with the female titan."

Completely forgetting that only a few days ago, Annie had been captured. Then out of fear, she crystallized herself. This was clearly an opportunity to experiment as to what you could do to get rid of the crystal. Yet the mere thought of injuring her was high knowing there were barely any records to help.

"What about the pastor?"

"I was told that he still isn't budging and Mike..." His voice faltered. It was only for a mere second but you caught up to it.

"What about... Mike?"

The silence of Levi's answer only proved your worse thoughts. Trying to trick your mind to think of positive pictures, you felt a pair of hands rest on your shoulders. With your focus back, Levi was now positioned in front of you. As always, you were captivated with how his eyes seemed to shift different hues of gray. In all honesty, you would never get tired of looking into his eyes.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Just processing some shitty news so early in the morning."

Slowly, his hand slid down to hold yours. His thumb brushing the silver band on your finger. Your face flustered at the recall of everything he had said last night. So it really wasn't a dream and he did give you the ring. His face was bowed down a bit. Once he lifted his head and kept eye contact, he let out a rather sad sigh.

"Are _you _okay?" It was your turn to ask.

"Everyday, I lose my fellow scouts. Mike was strong and yet that report stated that we lost him. Not gonna lie, I fear each passing day knowing that this may be our last. But, I know were strong enough. Individually and as a pair." Lifting your hand up, his lips grazed the band and he squeezed your hand. "Don't die on me, (Y/N)."

Pulling your hand from his, you pulled him into a tight embrace.

"I won't. As long as you don't die on me as well." You couldn't help but giggle at the thought of what your next words would be. "Besides, I'm looking forward to the real deal~"

When he pulled himself away, you wiggled your fingers. The sunlight that now filled the room caused the silver band to reflect the light. It was indeed shiny and a perfect fit now that you thought about it. Understanding what you meant, he merely smirked and flicked your forehead.

"I'll shower and let's head out to eat breakfast."

"Aye aye, Captain!"

"Don't do that." Levi said as he took off his shirt and threw it at you.

\- -

"What exactly is it are you making, (Y/N)?" Hange asked while staring at your tinkering hands.

The time was now 3pm. Hange and you decided to stay in the lab and conduct some personal experiments. Hange merely wrote down some hypothesis and would occasionally grunt at frustration with how the end result might turn out. At times, you would hear her mumbling ways on how to let the pastor spill out his secrets.

"It's a serum. I used to, uh, make these back in the day." Holding up a test tube, you made sure that you got the right amount needed to mix.

"So like a truth serum?"

"No. There's no such thing. This basically just fogs up the persons train of thought. Usually, when I needed information and the person wouldn't budge, I'd whip these out and they would eventually give in."It's basically just sodium pentothal."

Hange's eyes twinkled at the thought of testing it out on the pastor.

"I heard you and Levi plan on torturing him if all else fails?"

"Yes. Would you like to join in on the fun?"

Looking back at how you took information out of people, you cringed at the memory. Whenever you told people that you somehow lost yourself and enjoyed your job? You were talking about the feeling of torturing people to tell the truth. Of course, you only did it to criminals but if given the same chance and with a proper goal, would you take it?

"Nah. I think I'll pass on that." You gave her a wink. Handing over the test tube, Hange carefully placed the lid and winked back. "Just give it to him with small amounts and with the added list of torture you have in your mind, pretty sure that he'll confess in no time. If all else fails, just do a skit. That's all there is."

"A skit?" Hange's head tilted.

"Yeah. The stubborn one's fall for the most basic of tricks."

"So where will you go since you won't join me and shorty?"

"I'll go and see Aiden and Cas. They might have some news knowing them." Then it hit you. "Where are they anyway? I haven't seen them for breakfast or lunch."

With a shrug of her shoulders, Hange stood up and took her notes and the tube. Excusing herself, you could see the dark aura surrounding her as she shook the tube while losing the door. Shaking your head with amusement you cleaned your work area and proceeded to seek for the two boys.

It took a while but you finally saw them. Lucky for you, they were drinking tea by the armory. Their faces covered in soot. When they heard your footsteps approach, you swore you could hear them clambering to hide the tea set and look as if they were merely taking a break for a few seconds. Turning around and only seeing your familiar face, they let out a sigh and plopped to their seats.

"Damn. We thought you were Captain Levi." Aiden said. He was wearing the scouts uniform. 

"Did he make you clean the swords?" You teased.

"Yeah. He ranted that since I didn't go through training, this would compromise for it."

"Somehow I was thrown in the picture..." Cas complained as he scratched his nape.

"I mean... that's not really a surprise anymore." Both Aiden and you commented at the same time earning a pout from the tall dirty male.

"So any word?" You decided it was time to stop beating the bush.

Scanning the area, Cas saw it was clear and motioned for the two of you to come closer. 

"I received a letter this morning, from one of my confidants. The old man is nestled up in Trost. As to the exact locations, they still have to pinpoint where. They only saw the carriage pass by. Said that there were no reports of the carriage exiting so it's safe to believe he's here."

Nodding at the new found information, you locked eyes with Cas then Aiden.

"What are your plans? Do you guys have any?"

"As of the moment, none." Aiden said as he ruffled his hair. Soon enough he regret his actions knowing that his sandy blonde locks now had patches of black in them. "The last one was a bust. We gotta do this with a better approach. How much longer till the next update, C?"

Cas remained silent as he calculated. There was no clear date as to when the next letter would come. It would all be a gamble if they proceeded to formulate a plan of action. It was all to clear that each of you had been injured and detained, the possibility of that happening again was still high up there knowing the Capo.

"I can't be too sure. For now, let's just recuperate and wait. That's the best thing we can do for now."

"Keep me updated." You told him. He simply nodded.

"C'mon buddy. Before the shortstack throws a fit." Cas placed his arm on Aiden's shoulder as the two of them went back into the armory with sadness and fatigue oozing from them.

Thankfully, it only took 2 days for the next letter to arrive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- - - - -
> 
> a/n:
> 
> so.. can we talk about the cover featuring the boys? INSIDE A SAUNA? LIKE HOE LORDS. ALL THEM ABS WERE PUT TO DISPLAY AND OUR MAN LEVI?? lmao we thought he was packing an 8? nah bruh, he packin a 10 XD
> 
> okay that ends my TedTalk xD see ya'll next week ! 


	50. Intruder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello. I am back :)
> 
> So the reason this took more than a month to update was that this chapter was just not making it for me. I've redone this countless times and still, it just didn't do the trick. It had also reached the point where I finished watching AoT and my simping for Levi just... paused. Words didn't flow each time I attempted to continue and it was ultimately frustrating. With my other stories, I was constantly updating them because they were relatively light compared to this one T.T 
> 
> Apologies for having to make you all wait and wonder as to where this fic is going :'( Rest assured that I am back at it again :D However, updates would still be once a week since I recently uploaded a new fic :) feel free to check it out. Its a BNHA fanfic featuring Overhaul :)
> 
> Once again, thank you so much for the patience and i love you all so much <3

A knock broke the silence of the night. Feeling a tad pissed as to who in their right minds would knock in the middle of the night, you got up and opened the door. A scowl on your face accompanied by messy bed hair. All that faded when you saw who it was. Or, who they were.

"Cas? Aiden?"

"Bad timing, princess?" Cas joked as he too rubbed his eyes. "We got some news and it might be useful."

"Mikasa's sleeping." You whispered and led them to the dimly lit hallways. Now that you were a few feet away from the door, you motioned them to share what they had just gathered.

"The confidant told me that the Capo is currently resting in one of the high class member's houses. That may sound general but hear me out. There's only very few aristocrats here in Trost that would manage to cater to his needs. If nothing has changed, our search would be narrowed down to 4 households." Cas explained. The light from the torch flickered the shadows on his face. "Our problem now is the houses are a little far apart from each other."

"We also have to decide whether or not we'll be sharing this information to the others." Aiden added. "The Capo surely tightened his surveillance over the corps, his men, and basically everything in general."

The sandy-blonde made a point. With all the events that happened, it would only deem right for him to close himself further. Weighing out the options, safety was guaranteed should you inform Levi or Commander Erwin about the latest information but that would either prolong things or your movements would end up being prohibited. With what Aiden had done, the probability of full on trust was a little hazy.

On the other hand, if you were to move forward, there was a high risk of injury that may or may not lead to death. Knowing the Capo and his ways, it was inevitable that he would go to extreme lengths to protect his empire.

"I get that you're formulating a plan but there isn't much time, (Y/N)." Cas added. "We don't know for sure how long he plans to crash the night there. And even if we somehow manage to pass the message to forbid civilians to exit or enter, it would only heighten his suspicions. I honestly say we tell Commander."

Still silent, the two men were now anxiously waiting for an answer. It was bad enough they snuck into the girl's dormitory, if they were caught, who knows how many weeks of scooping horse shit waited for them. However, it was understandable. The Capo was now within reach. Any mistakes made now would only increase the difficulty of ending him once and for all. The silent agreement of having a unanimous vote was necessary. It was all on you now. What would you do now that you received intel?

"No." You finally spoke out.

"No?" Aiden questioned. His face morphed with confusion and surprise.

"You know how his brain works." You explained. "He would make sure to device a plan and those usually take days. Say we convince him to move forward with just our personal experiences, not gonna happen. There is no way in hell he would want an encore of the events that occurred last week."

"So what do you suggest?"

"We..." You let out an exhausted sigh and massaged the bridge of your nose. As much as possible, you did not want to intertwine your friends but as of the moment, this was the only option. If they said you could trust them, then trust them you will. "We go to Jean and Armin."

"Kirstein and Arlert?" Cas voiced out. A thousand questions ran through his mind but he was well aware that those 2 soldiers were smarter than they appeared to be. If there was one person who was fit to plan for spontaneous problems, it would have to Jean.

"Their the one's who rescued us, right?" Aiden asked. He still hadn't really acquainted himself with the others so he had to make sure.

"Yeah." Cas answered for him. " They're still kids but they're pretty damn smart. Specially the one with coconut hair."

"You sure about this?" Aiden asked one more time. "You just came back and now your planning things all on your own."

"I'm sure. We can base our next move on what they'll recommend. I know the three of us can handle this but we need back up just in case."

A sudden creak on the wooden floors caused all of you to turn your heads. Ushering them to lean into the wall, you waited for the source to arrive. When no one showed up, you signaled the two men to back you up. Cautiously, your feet began to take light steps forward. Making sure that you were as silent as a rat.

Clicking his tongue once, Cas gave the signal he would encircle the area through the left, Aiden quickly caught up and ventured to the right. You, on the other hand, maintained moving forward. The creaking had now disappeared. The only sounds were the cackling of the torches. Stopping on your tracks, you saw a shallow alcove and took solace there. Hoping it would lure whoever made that sound.

Peaking through the shadows, 2 corners away, a silhouette traveled across the walls. It seemed to be walking further and further away as it stretched out. Not wanting to lose it, as silently as you could, you made a run for it. Thank the walls you had decent sleuthing skills.

When the eavesdropping person was now in plain sight, you pushed yourself to move faster. Realizing that footsteps were now echoing the walls, he picked up his pace and sharply took the next corner. With the newly waxed floors, you almost lost balance when you were about to close in on him. Presumably he was now 30 steps ahead of you, you winced in pain when you saw the person colliding with Aiden. The sound of a punch loud and clear to you.

Not a moment too soon, all three of you were now face to face with the unknown but familiar cadet. Cas and Aiden cornering him on the wall.

"Hey, you're that cadet who told Jean, Armin, and I to go to Commander Erwin's office." You finally placed a location to his face.

"I've never seen you before, though." Cas said as he took a step closer and rested his palm on the wall. Only a few inches away from the cadet's face. The cadet didn't answer. He at least had the brains to protect himself. "Better introduce yourself. Commander Erwin doesn't appreciate being woken up at such ungodly hours, friend."

In an attempt to break free, he elbowed Aiden and kicked Cas on his knee. Luckily, you were quick enough to land a hook to his face and held on to his neck. Effectively pinning him back to where he once stood.

"What does he want?" You went straight to the point. Seeing how he pursed his lips together only enraged you even more. "Don't make me ask again. I'm tired. I wanna sleep. A lot of shit needs to be done. I can't take another load of fuckery."

Tightening your hold on his neck, he let out a cough and grabbed on to your hand. The two boys had now recovered and took one of his arms each. 

"He's not talking." You sighed. "Screw what we just talked about a while ago."

The number 1 and 3 of the Capocrimine looked at you. They agreed that any more fighting was ultimately useless.

"We're taking you to Commander Erwin." You decided. Letting go of his neck, he took in a deep breath and stared daggers at your frame. His upper lip twitching.

"I'll call in Captain Levi as well." Aiden added as he watched Cas lock the person's arm to their back. With things now under control, he went to the captain's room as you went towards the commander's.

It was a short walk towards Erwin's room. Unsurprisingly, the lights flickered through the sill. At least things wouldn't be twice as awkward knowing he was awake. Knocking, you heard shuffling on the other side till you were met with bright blue eyes and a tad messy blonde hair. His gaze went from you, to Cas, then his brows ultimately furrowed when he saw a familiar face he couldn't put a name to.

"Commander," You gave him a salute. "We received news regarding the current location of the Capo and this person just happened to be eavesdropping on us. He won't give a name, he tried to escape, and he hit both Cas and Aiden a few minutes ago."

Frowning at the report given to him, he instructed you to head towards the common area and wait there. He had also inquired if other people were called and Cas answered the question for you. Nodding, he excused the both of you and closed his doors.

Moments later, the common area was now moderately. Everyone, including Levi, was now staring at the bounded intruder.

"You either give us a name or the purpose why you eavesdropped." Levi threatened. The dancing flames caused his shadow to make his features look menacing. "I believe you are aware that I still hold true to the saying pain instills discipline." 

Whatever brains he had left seemingly disappeared. He had the courage to spit at where Levi had been standing. The contented look on his face as he saw the captain's anger rising.

"You got some balls." Levi commented as he stepped away from the disgusting liquid.

"I can make you a deal." Erwin piped up. "We set you free but in exchange, you give us the information we need and you get to leave without a scratch. Should you remain silent, I will hand you over to Levi, who is more than willing to put his shoe into your mouth."

Still, he did not budge.

"I'll count to ten." Erwin still kept the deal open. Beginning his countdown, all of you watched as his eyes began to wander around. Looking for someplace to focus on. His body began to tremble and a cold sweat began to appear on his forehead. When he heard Levi cracking his knuckles, his breath hitched and his jaw tightened.

"One..." Nodding his head, Erwin gave the floor to Levi.

It went on for minutes. The sound of grunts and muffled screaming. His face was now starting to bloat and blood was now splattered on the floor. Not a single person in the room showed remorse or pity. This was one thing each person could agree on. Eavesdropping was never to be done within the walls of the Survey Corps.

"Tell us where he is or what he intends to do." Levi said one more time. Lifting his foot, he prepared to kick him on his stomach till he finally caved.

"W-wait..." His breathing labored and his voice shaky. "An a-ambush. He plans t-to ambush this place."

He coughed and spit out a bit more blood.

"I-I don't know w-hen." He continued. "All I k-know is that h-he's gathering as much p-people as he can."

"How many has he recruited?"

"About 100 to 150..." By now he was slipping in and out of consciousness.

"When are you scheduled to report back?" Levi asked while using his foot to lift his bleeding swollen face.

"4 days from now."

"If that's the case, you will be kept prisoner till the 4th day." Erwin informed him. "Your wounds shall also be tended to. However, you will be placed in the underground cells to make sure you will have no thoughts of escaping. As for his plan, we will discuss that matter tomorrow. All of us need rest. Take the morning off, everyone. We shall gather at 3pm tomorrow."

Levi volunteered to drag the intruder to the cells himself while the others went back towards their respective rooms. Now that you were laying in your bed, you couldn't help but shift positions every few minutes. The words he had spilled kept replaying in your head non-stop.

Stepping down from the upper bunk, you exited your room and walked towards the only place you could get a goodnight's rest. Knocking on his doors, he immediately answered. Almost as if he were expecting you to join him in his quarters. Before heading to his room, Levi opened his arms and you accepted it right away.

"I'm glad that person eavesdropped."

"Huh?" You gently leaned away from his body to look at his face. "Why'd you say that?"

"I'm pretty sure you would've done some stupid shit if he didn't intervene." He cocked an eyebrow and pinched your nose. Releasing you from his arms, he took yours and led you to his bed. There, you finally felt safe and eventually fell into a deep sleep.


End file.
